Although Chiang Kai-shek asked Song Zhewu to stay in Zhengzhou with his troops, he also greeted Yan Xishan, and Yan Xishan also called Song Zhewu and agreed to let him stay in Zhengzhou. Yan Xishan also clearly told him in the telegram that the purpose of this was to promote Feng Yuxiang's idea of attacking Shanxi.

Song Zhewu led his troops to stay in the Zhengzhou area, there were two advantages, once the Northwest Army really fought with the Jin Sui Army, not only could it echo with the north and south of Shanxi, contain the Northwest Army's forces attacking Shanxi, and if necessary, it could also retreat to Shanxi through the Yellow River Iron Bridge in Zhengzhou to resist the Northwest Army's attack on Shanxi.

However, neither Chiang Kai-shek nor Yan Xishan provided him with a legitimate reason not to leave Zhengzhou. You must know that Henan is the territory of the Northwest Army, and without the consent of the Northwest Army, he and he may be coaxed out by others, and even send off with guns and cannons.

Song Zhewu was having a headache for what high-sounding legitimate reason to stay in the Zhengzhou area in a grand manner, and Han Fuyu took the initiative to propose it first, this was really if he wanted to fall asleep, someone sent a pillow. Although he was very happy in his heart, Song Zhewu said: "The twentieth division is the capital of the eldest brother's life, and there is no reason to be a brother in this matter." My Second Division and the Baggage Brigade have already set off first, and they want to bring the absorbed troops back to Laiyuan for reorganization. In this way, I will stay in the Zhengzhou area with the first division, the guard brigade, and the cavalry brigade to respond to the eldest brother at any time.

My first division, guard brigade, and cavalry brigade also have more than 50,000 people, and although it is not enough to fight the entire army of the Northwest Army, it is still no problem to support my eldest brother. ”

"Good! Sure enough, it is my Han Fuyu's good brother, from now on, if I, Han Fuyu, don't treat Wen Ge as my own brother, I will be thundered by the sky. Han Fuyu couldn't help but swear a heavy oath while being excited.

Han Fuyu held Song Zhewu's hand tightly and said excitedly: "Wen Ge, you, with more than 50,000 strong soldiers and well-equipped troops, are enough to withstand 100,000 people in the Northwest Army. This is still the Northwest Army, if you change the Jin Sui Army, your two divisions can go to Shanxi and enter Taiyuan. With Wenge you, my brother's great things will be accomplished. ”

"It's just that for what reason I want to stay in Zhengzhou, I have to think of a way for my eldest brother." Song Zhewu hurriedly threw this question to Han Fuyu.

"This is easy to do, don't forget, your brother is also the chairman of Henan Provincial Political Axe." Han Fuyu said as he took out a warrant from his pocket and handed it to Song Zhewu. "This is my warrant for entrusting your Fourth Route Army to suppress bandits and calm the people and maintain local order in the Zhengzhou area for me. You take it and get the local officials to do everything. ”

Han Fuyu took out the gold-shell pocket watch and looked at it, and said: "Wen Ge, the matter is urgent, I won't stay longer, once there is something, we will contact by telegram, and my brother's dangerous move will all depend on you, brother." ”

After Han Fuyu finished speaking, he didn't wait for Song Zhewu to confess, he shook Song Zhewu's hand tightly, turned around, took a big stride, and got on his special train.

Han Fuyu's special train was soon launched, gradually accelerating, and drove towards Wusheng Pass.

As soon as Han Fuyu left, Tao Rong, Zhang Yafei, Mengxi, and Ye Changgui surrounded him. Liang Bi knew that a few people must have something to discuss, so he waved his hand to let the guards back a little more.

Song Zhewu told Han Fuyu's words to a few people, and a few people were silent for a while, but Zhang Yafei said: "It seems that Feng Yuxiang and Lao Jiang are really going to do it, we just stay in Zhengzhou, and we will also occupy Henan if we have the opportunity." ”

Seeing that Song Zhewu didn't say anything, Mengxi said: "Commander, Lao Jiang and Yan Laoxi from Shanxi both want us to stay in Zhengzhou, and we are worried that there is no suitable reason, now it's okay, Han Fuyu agreed." It's just that I don't know when/where Han Fuyu pulled out his 20th Division, and we have to keep in constant contact with him so that we can prepare in advance. ”

Song Zhewu nodded and looked at Tao Rong again.

Although Tao Rong has not been in the Fourth Route Army for a long time, in the past few days, he has also seen that all the people in the Fourth Route Army not only have no respect for Yan Xishan, even if Yan Xishan is the head of the Jin Sui Army; Even if he has no respect for the central political axe, not only Zhang Yafei called Lao Jiang just now, but also the people below, he has heard them call Chiang Kai-shek this way in the past few days. He could see that all the people in the Fourth Route Army were only loyal to Song Zhewu, and there were no other people in his heart.

Tao Rong has been in the Gui Department for a long time, and he can see the shadows of Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi in Song Zhewu's body. If there is a difference, it is that the Fourth Route Army is more united within and more closely around Song Zhewu. There are no factions here, there is no dumping with each other. If there are factions, it can only be said that there are factions of their original 19th Army. However, he Tao Rong didn't want to have any faction of his own, and he had made up his mind since Song Zhewu appointed him as the deputy chief of staff in charge of operations of the Fourth Route Army.

Tao Rong saw Song Zhewu looking at herself, and knew that she had to express her position as the chief of staff. He fixed his mind and said: "We are stationed in the Zhengzhou area, how do we do it?" This requires the commander to take the initiative. However, I think: first, before the whole army passes through Wusheng Pass, we should pay attention to the movements of the Northwest Army and prevent them from blowing up the Wusheng Pass tunnel; Second, after we arrive in Zhengzhou, we must pay attention to protecting the Yellow River Iron Bridge and protecting our retreat. ”

Tao Rong stopped, looked at Song Zhewu and said, "If we arrive at Wusheng Pass, the Northwest Army is already retreating, and it is also a good choice for us to follow in their footsteps and take over all the places they let out." Another plan is that we will occupy Wusheng Pass and hand it over to Liu Zhi's Second Route Army, and then we will go north to Zhengzhou. ”

Song Zhewu nodded, thought for a moment and said, "Order." As soon as Song Zhewu's words came out, several people immediately obeyed the order.

"1. From now on, the whole army must be on high alert, and in the event of hostile action, it is not necessary to wait for orders, but must resolutely launch a counterattack. 2. After the first regiment passes through Wusheng Pass, do not immediately drive to Zhengzhou, stand by outside Wusheng Pass, and report the situation to the headquarters at any time. The 3rd and 3rd regiments and the artillery regiment immediately set out and waited for the baggage regiment north of the Wushengguan tunnel. After the whole army gathered, it marched to Zhengzhou. ”

looked at Tao Rong again and said meaningfully: "Chief of Staff Tao, you have to understand something, we are neither the Central Army nor the Jin Sui Army, we are the Fourth Route Army, you have been here for a short time, and you will be clear after a long time." As I said, give the order at once. ”――

At more than two o'clock in the morning, except for the baggage regiment, which had not yet finished loading, all the other troops got on the car and left Xiaogan Station and drove towards Wusheng Pass.

At about four o'clock in the morning, Song Zhewu, who was leaning on the corner of the box and taking advantage of the rest of his sleep during the march, was woken up by Tao Rong, who sent Song Zhewu a telegram from the first division and one regiment. The telegram was forwarded by Zhang Yafei, and a telegram from Zhang Yafei was sent along with it. The telegram of the first regiment read: The first regiment has successfully passed through the Wushengguan tunnel and stopped at Wuhua Li after Wushengguan. According to a telegram from a regiment, there was no Northwest Army stationed in the barracks of the Northwest Army outside Wusheng Pass, and there were entire units of the Northwest Army with weapons and ammunition coming down from the mountains on both sides of the city, and only one company of the Northwest Army was eating in advance at the station outside Xiguan, and there were two trains loaded with supplies parked at the station, and they judged that this was the Northwest Army stationed at Wusheng Pass to evacuate. Another report: At the northern exit of the Wushengguan tunnel, they found that the Northwest Army had dug a big hole, and after inspection, there was no explosives in it, and they had sent a company to guard the tunnel entrance.

"What? Only one company was sent! Song Zhewu slapped the table angrily and stood up with anger on his face.

When Tao Rong received this telegram from Zhang Yafei, she lamented in her heart that this unit was still too young, especially the officers' lack of experience and adaptability. This is obviously that the Northwest Army wants to evacuate Wushengguan and blow up the Wushengguan tunnel when it withdraws. Once the Wushengguan tunnel is blown up, the main force of the first division, the guard brigade, and the cavalry brigade will be isolated from the pass. Moreover, once the Northwest Army in Wusheng Pass had bad intentions towards them and blocked them from passing through Guancheng, with the dangerous terrain of Wusheng Pass, they could not easily take it, and then a regiment would be in danger.

However, Zhang Yafei's telegram then relieved Tao Rong. Zhang Yafei said in the telegram that he had ordered a regiment to be on strict alert and had sent a battalion to guard the tunnel.

After Song Zhewu saw Zhang Yafei's telegram, he was also relieved, and after sitting down, he said, "How is the situation of the other troops?" ”

Tao Rong said: "The Second Regiment is now less than half an hour's drive away from Wusheng Pass, and I have already called the Second Regiment and ordered them to establish a solid position on the north side of the tunnel immediately after arriving at Wusheng Pass to ensure the safety of the Wusheng Pass Tunnel; The baggage regiment had already set off on a cart an hour earlier, and the cavalry brigade would escort them along the way. ”

Song Zhewu was very satisfied with Tao Rong's arrangement. I thought to myself, choosing Tao Rong as the deputy chief of staff was the right step, if Tao Rong really did things for the Fourth Route Army, then he would have another capable assistant.

Song Zhewu said to Tao Rong: "Chief of Staff Tao, you handled it very well!" Then send a telegram to Zhang Yafei, and at the same time forward the 1st and 2nd regiments, and for any troops who try to forcibly approach the tunnel, if the dissuasion is ineffective, they can be stopped by force without further instructions. ”

Tao Rong thought to herself: "Although this commander is not very old, he is a decisive and clever and resolute character. Not only has the means, but also has the courage, but it is a personal masterpiece. ”

(To be continued)