Probably aware of something, Xiao Lang explained: "If you cross the river, it is too late to build a raft temporarily, it is better to repair the iron bridge as soon as possible, as long as the railway bridge is opened, soldiers and heavy equipment can be transported to the south bank as soon as possible." ”

Ye Xuefeng said: "What Mayor Xiao said is very true, we can't stay at the ancient technical level, let's go, go to the riverside to see the training of the soldiers, and you can also give us more valuable advice." ”

Xiao Lang accompanied Ye Xuefeng to the bank of the Huaijiang River, on the barren sandy beach, hundreds of soldiers were practicing water, they were lying on the sand paddling their hands and feet, like a decent look, and couldn't help but laugh dumbly: "Is it useful to learn to swim like this?" ”

Ye Xuefeng said: "Most of our soldiers are mountain people and are not accustomed to water, which is also a temporary cramming of the soil law, as long as they can fall into the water and not drown." ”

Xiao Lang said with a smile: "If a local method is useful, it is not a local method, but it still has to be launched, and you can't find a feeling of dry rowing on the shore." ”

Ye Xuefeng pointed to the river in the distance: "That's not it." ”

Several sampans paddled across the water, followed by a dozen warriors clinging to the planks and fluttering, splashing in all directions, advancing at a very slow pace.

Xiao Lang couldn't help but sigh that although the PLA has very strong combat effectiveness, it has too few technical weapons, and there is no air force or warships, so it is not easy to cross the Yangtze River.

Suddenly, the sound of engines came from the sky, and the soldiers in charge of air defense fired warning shots, and the soldiers who were conducting the drill on the river beach quickly withdrew, and set up machine guns to guard the air.

Ye Xuefeng looked at the plane that was heading away, clenched his fists and said hatefully: "Sooner or later, one day, we will also have our own air force." ”

Xiao Lang said worriedly: "The national army bombed the bridge day and night, and it was not easy to repair it, but I have another way, to repair the plank road and secretly cross Chencang." ”

Ye Xuefeng's eyes lit up: "How do you say it?" ”

Xiao Lang said: "On the surface, we continued to rush to repair the bridge to attract the enemy's attention, and secretly used the equipment of the United Machinery Company to manufacture a pontoon bridge for the army to cross the river. ”

Ye Xuefeng was overjoyed: "Okay! Mayor Xiao, you have made great contributions to the liberation of the whole of China. ”

The technicians of the ironmaking plant and the machinery factory designed overnight, and the workers worked overtime to produce, using iron plate welding pontoons as an important part of the pontoon, the time was limited, and it was unrealistic to use all steel pontoons, and it was necessary to requisition ships to build pontoon bridges.

For the operation of crossing the river, everyone was full of confidence, the drawings of the defensive positions of the Kuomintang army on the south bank had been completely mastered, and the location of every pillbox, the height and distance of every barbed wire, every artillery, every firing point, and all the information were all in the hands of the PLA.

Although there are still gunboats of the Kuomintang Navy cruising in the middle of the river from time to time, and planes are bombing and strafing in the air from time to time, it will not be long before the PLA will drink the Yangtze River and go straight to the Yellow Dragon.

The rebel troops in Jiangnan were far away from the cities, took root in the countryside, waited for the opportunity, and cooperated with the People's Liberation Army to launch the battle to cross the river.

The Chen family's family has arrived safely in Hong Kong, and the news was sent to Chen Zikun through the channel of the Social Department of the East China Bureau.

Chen Zikun sighed and said: "A wise man must make a mistake in a thousand thoughts, and it depends on himself how Xiaobei goes." ”

……

Li Zongren, acting president of the Nanjing Government, was still making peace efforts, and a Kuomintang delegation for peace talks flew to Beiping, but the two sides had very big differences and could not reach an agreement at all.

Li Zongren hoped that the Chinese Communists would persist in liberating the whole country, that all the armed forces of the Nanjing Government would be reorganized into the People's Liberation Army, and that all local governments would be taken over by the Chinese Communists, and that they would be signed on 20 April.

The Nanjing government refused to accept this condition, and Bai Chongxi in Wuhan vigorously opposed it, so the peace talks ran aground.

On 21 April, Mao Zedong, chairman of the Chinese Revolutionary Military Committee, and Zhu De, commander-in-chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, issued an order to cross the Yangtze River, and the million-strong troops of the Second and Third Field Armies crossed the Yangtze River and launched a thunderous blow against the Kuomintang reactionaries.

In the early hours of the morning, three red signal flares rose into the sky, and on the north bank of the Huai River, the 30,000 troops of the Jiangzong River were forced to cross the river by 1,000 cargo ships, fishing boats, and sampans.

The People's Liberation Army fired 10,000 artillery pieces in unison, countless shells flew to the opposite bank, and the entire night sky was reflected red, and the sound of artillery rumbled all night long.

On the vast river, thousands of boats are racing, small mountain cannons are placed on the ferry, machine guns are mounted on the bow of the fishing boats, and they are firing as they advance, and the shells on the opposite bank fall on the water, hitting the water columns one after another, and the soldiers on the boat are drenched and paddling harder.

Some of the sampans were overturned by the big Lang, and the soldiers wore life jackets and continued to swim south with the planks in their arms, even if they died, they would die on the south bank!

Deputy Division Commander Liu Xiaoyong led the Independent Division to undertake the downstream assault mission, and the head of Jiang Zong gave up the convenient conditions to the Independent Division, which made him very moved, and the common greed for life and fear of death in the Kuomintang army, dumping each other, and not saving each other is completely unthinkable in the PLA.

The troops quickly crossed the river, and Liu Xiaoyong was the first to cross the land on the south bank, which was the weak area of the enemy's defenses, with only a few scattered pillboxes and trenches, and the sound of machine guns was not dense.

Liu Xiaoyong shouted: "Comrades, for the sake of New China, rush!" ”

The soldiers of the independent division rushed into battle like a mountain of mountains, and when they encountered barbed wire, they directly pressed over with their bodies to let their comrades behind pass.

The resistance on the south bank was negligible, and wherever the PLA went, the national army surrendered with the white flag held high, and the offensive was unstoppable.

The reinforced concrete fortifications, barbed wire trenches, and bunkers built up for countless dollars did not come in handy in the slightest, and even many troops defected and revolted before the battle.

When the troops crossing the river arrived in the provincial capital, the Kuomintang defenders had already fled, and the whole city was undefended, and after discussing with Ye Xuefeng, Wu Changqing and Ye Xuefeng decided to enter the city overnight to maintain law and order, and in accordance with the instructions of the leaders of the Central Plains Bureau, they immediately asked Chen Zikun to preside over the situation in Jiangdong.

At this moment, Chen Zikun was leading his troops to come, he entered the city the next morning, and saw that the road was full of PLA soldiers, and the spring morning was still a little cold, these young soldiers were lying under the eaves with their clothes, sleeping soundly, and the whole street was extremely quiet.

"When the army entered the city, Qiu did not commit any crimes, and he actually had the demeanor of the Yue family army back then." Chen Zikun said to Ye Xuefeng, who came to greet him.

"General Chen has won the award, this is the tradition of the people's army." Ye Xuefeng said with a smile.

When I came to the Fenglin Road Mansion, it had been looted by the Kuomintang rout, a lot of expensive sandalwood furniture was lost, the carpet was also cut and snatched, the window glass was broken, the clothes and bedding in the bedroom were lost, and there were many books in the study.

Although he had only been away for two months, as if he had been separated for several years, Chen Zikun picked up a book from the ground and put it back in place, when suddenly the phone rang urgently, he subconsciously wanted to pick it up, but Ye Xuefeng picked up the microphone first.

"Hey, yes, I'm Ye Xuefeng, what, foreign affairs issues, okay, I'll go right away."

Putting down the phone, Ye Xuefeng said: "General Chen, our soldiers have captured a few foreign spies, let's take a look." ”

Chen Zikun naturally agreed, and they passed by the provincial government building by car, and saw from a distance that the roof of the building was full of People's Liberation Army soldiers in yellow uniforms, waving red flags, and a red sun rising from behind, which made the soldiers even more vigorous.

The car was parked in front of the British Consulate, which had been occupied by the People's Liberation Army, and went upstairs, Consul Walker and several Chinese staff members squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands, and a young PLA soldier with a British Stern submachine gun guarded them.

Chen Zikun said: "What's going on? ”

The platoon commander of the People's Liberation Army who accompanied him explained that when they searched along the street, they found that there were people taking pictures upstairs, so they went up to inquire and saw that it was a foreigner with a high nose and sunken eyes, so they became vigilant, and when they searched their bodies, they also found a gun, so they seized him.

"This is the British Consul, Mr. Walker, my friend, so I don't have to do that to him." Chan said.

The little soldier didn't buy his account, and he didn't move.

Ye Xuefeng waved his hand: "Let it go." ”

Only then did the little soldier put away his gun and walked away with a straight face.

Walker got up from the ground, stretched his squatting legs, and said, "Thank you, I'm John Walker, a British diplomat." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to Ye Xuefeng.

Ye Xuefeng looked at him, did not shake hands, and said righteously: "When our People's Liberation Army forcibly crossed the Yangtze River, the British warship Purple Quartz brazenly shelled our army in an attempt to obstruct the actions of our army. ”

Walker was a little embarrassed, shrugged his shoulders and withdrew his hand, turning to Chen Zikun: "General Chen, it seems that I am persona non grata. ”

Chen Zikun said roundly: "It's better to let him stay, and there is one more channel for external contact." ”

Ye Xuefeng said: "Of course we welcome true international friends, but imperialist spies with ulterior motives should be sent out as soon as possible, Mr. Walker, I limit you to leave Jiangdong within 24 hours." ”

Walker had no choice but to spread his hands: "Well, it seems that it was indeed a mistake for me to violate the order of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ”

Coming out of the consulate, Ye Xuefeng was still talking and laughing, but Chen Zikun was a little lost, he felt that the sky in Jiangdong had changed.

Ye Xuefeng said sincerely: "General Chen, the affairs at the diplomatic level are in charge of the central government, and it is inevitable that the unauthorized contact will mean overstepping the bounds, and besides, your current identity is more sensitive, it is better to keep a low profile, I shouldn't have said this, but we have been friends for many years, I hope the general understands." ”

Chen Zikun said: "I am mentally prepared for this. ”