At the same time that the Kuomintang Third War Zone received the news, the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army stationed in Yunling, Jing County, southern Anhui, also received information sent by the Qingyang County Guerrilla Corps.

At the beginning of the establishment of the New Fourth Army, there were only four detachments under its jurisdiction, with a total of more than 10,000 troops, but there were only more than 6,000 guns, and a considerable number of soldiers still held large blades, but after nearly two years of development and growth, the New Fourth Army has rapidly expanded to five detachments, one column, and one Jiangkang, and the whole army already has nearly 50,000 officers and men

In this regard, the information collected by the Military Command Bureau on the New Fourth Army was obviously wrong, and the information provided by the Military Command Bureau to the Central Military Commission said that the New Fourth Army already had seven detachments with nearly 80,000 men, but it was precisely because of the erroneous information provided by the Military Command Bureau that Chairman Chiang's fear of the New Fourth Army was further intensified.

Generally speaking, the situation of the struggle behind enemy lines is becoming complicated, and the New Fourth Army has to face not only the sweeps of the Japanese army from time to time, but also the provocations from the Nationalist army; especially in southern Anhui, Jing County, where the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army is located, is surrounded by the Nationalist army on three sides and may be surrounded by the Nationalist army at any time, so the nerves of the New Fourth Army are also very tense.

At this time, a southern Anhui anti-Japanese salvation army was suddenly killed, and Longkou County was recovered in one fell swoop, of course, it would attract the attention of the top level of the New Fourth Army, after Shu Tongwen reported to the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army, Xiang Ying immediately instructed Shu Tongwen to find out the origin of this southern Anhui anti-Japanese salvation army, and at the same time try to make friendly contacts.

Soon, Shu Tongwen's second urgent letter was delivered to the military headquarters.

The Southern Anhui Anti-Japanese Salvation Army was formed by a group of veterans of the Central Army, which disappointed the top brass of the New Fourth Army, but Xu 19, the head of the 19th detachment of the Southern Anhui Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, gave Xiang Ying and others hope, because Shu Tongwen made it clear in the letter that Xu 19 was born in the old 19th Route Army, and his ideas were incompatible with the Nationalist Government.

In general, the relationship between the 19th Route Army and the CCP is still quite good, the main reason why the 19th Route Army set up another government in Fujian and launched the Fujian Mutiny was that it was unwilling to fight the Red Army, and Xu 19 was a remnant of the 19th Route Army, which was undoubtedly good news for the New Fourth Army.

Xiang Ying, deputy commander of the New Fourth Army and secretary of the Southeast Bureau, immediately convened a high-level meeting.

As for Ye Ting, the commander of the New Fourth Army, he was excluded from the meeting, because Ye Ting had already quit the party and was not allowed to attend the party meeting as an observer, in fact, Ye Ting, the commander of the army, was completely set up, and the actual leadership of the New Fourth Army was completely in the hands of Xiang Ying, and even the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China could not effectively command the New Fourth Army.

The conclusion reached from the study of the meeting was that the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army in southern Anhui was worth fighting

Xiang Ying immediately issued instructions to the Qingyang County Guerrilla Corps to make every effort to win the Southern Anhui Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army to join the battle sequence of the New Fourth Army.

(Dividing Line)

"Veteran Shu Tongwen, come to report"

"Veteran Li Zihan, come to report"

Shu Tongwen and Li Zihan stood straight in front of Xu Shijiu and raised their hands in salute.

Looking at the two faces in front of him who were younger than himself, Xu Shijiu was also full of emotion, people's encounters were really mysterious, when Shu Tongwen left, how could Xu Shijiu ever think that he could reunite with him in southern Anhui? There is also Li Zihan, Xu Shijiu never imagined that he had not seen him for more than half a year, and Li Zihan was already the head of the colonel.

"Take a break" Xu Shijiu returned the military salute, and stepped forward to hug the two one by one.

Then there was Gao Shenxing, first with Li Zihan a bear hug, and then when it was Shu Tongwen's turn, he first high-fived, then shook his arm, and then hugged him, Zuihou also punched Shu Tong's bra, Gao Shenxing didn't even hide it at all, the relationship between him and Shu Tongwen was obviously closer than with Li Zihan.

In the final analysis, Gao Shenxing and Li Zihan have serious differences in their ideas, but they are like-minded with Shu Tongwen.

Li Zihan smiled on his face, as if he didn't care, but his heart was inevitably clouded, he was not worried that Xu Shijiu would fall to the Communist Party, but he was full of worries about Gao Shenxing, although Gao Shenxing also wanted to be a pure soldier, but many of his ideas were obviously more inclined to the CCP, and it was difficult to guarantee that Zuihou would not throw himself into the CCP.

And Gao Shenxing has a great influence on Xu Shijiu, once Gao Shenxing throws himself to the CCP, it is difficult to guarantee that Xu Shijiu will not follow to the CCP.

After the cold noise, Shu Tongwen said again: "Captain, I really didn't expect that so many things would happen after we separated, and I didn't expect that after the victory of Wanjialing, the Kuomintang authorities actually withdrew the formation of our 19th Brigade, and you and Lao Gao and Heizi were all separated from the national army. ”

Li Zihan's heart sank more and more, Shu Tongwen is starting now?

Xu Shijiu waved his hand with a smile and said, "Ah Wen, Zihan, let's only talk about the relationship, not the right thing."

"Yes, yes, don't get down to business, don't get down to business." Gao Shenxing remembered Xu Shijiu's advice, stepped forward one by one, pulled Li Zihan and Shu Tongwen to his side, and said with a smile, "Let's go, let's go back to the county seat, last time we laid down Longkou County, Lao Xu paid a lot of sake, this time we have to drink a good time." ”

"Yes, yes, yes, drink and drink, let's go to the Drunken Immortal Building."

The group stepped on the side three wheels and returned to the county seat.

(Dividing Line)

Back in the county seat, Xu 19 invited the officers of the 19th detachment of the Southern Anhui Anti-Japanese Salvation Army to Zuixian Tower, and held a feast for Shu Tongwen and Li Zihan to wash the dust.

Hearing that Li Zihan was the colonel and regiment commander of the National Army, and that Shu Tongwen was also an instructor of a guerrilla corps of the New Fourth Army, the officers of all sizes who participated in the banquet could not help but be a little secretly frightened, especially the commanders of several battalions and regiments under the Niu Sigen Garrison Brigade.

Xu Shijiu's organization of this reception banquet basically achieved the purpose of deterring these individual thinkers.

After several veterans of the original 19th Brigade returned to the county office, they still did not feel sleepy, so they gathered together and continued to talk about their parting.

Li Zihan called Liao Yaohua to his room, carefully closed the doors and windows first, and then asked in a low voice: "Huazi, tell me honestly, does the captain have anything to do with that side?" ”

When Li Zihan was still a platoon leader in the engineer platoon of the 19th Brigade, Liao Yaohua was just a recruit who had just enlisted in the army.

At that moment, Liao Yaohua replied honestly: "No, absolutely not." ”

Li Zihan breathed a sigh of relief, he believed that Liao Yaohua would not lie to him.

After a pause, Li Zihan then asked: "How many people are there in the Anti-Japanese Salvation Army in Southern Anhui now?" ”

"This ......" Liao Yaohua scratched his head and whispered, "The captain told me, but I can't say it." ”

Li Zihan had expected this, and said: "Huazi, what is your relationship with me, you can't say it?" Besides, even if you don't say it, won't I go to someone else? ”

"I can't really say." Liao Yaohua stood up and said, "Platoon commander, I have to go." ”

Li Zihan had no choice but to send Liao Yaohua away, before returning to the room, he looked at Shu Tongwen's room, and found that the light in the room was still on, and he could faintly hear Shu Tongwen and Gao Shenxing talking, Li Zihan's heart sank again, Liao Yaohua refused to tell him specific information about the Anti-Japanese Salvation Army in southern Anhui, but Gao Shenxing may not hide it from Shu Tongwen.

In fact, Li Zihan really thought too much, and Gao Shenxing was also tight-lipped in the face of Shu Tongwen.

"Awen, don't ask, you really can't say this." Gao Shen said, "Otherwise, Lao Xu will kill me."

When Shu Tongwen wanted to ask again, Gao Shenxing had already changed the topic and said: "Ah Wen, it's really time for you to come this time, you don't know, Lao Xu is worried about one thing, you can help him think of a way."

At that moment, Gao Shenxing explained the embarrassment and disposition of the anti-Japanese salvation army in southern Anhui that could not raise donations and soldiers.

After listening to what Gao Shenxing said, Shu Tongwen said: "This thing is very easy, as long as the masses are mobilized."

"What you said is light, but the problem is that the squire patriarchs of the townships and towns don't listen to the greetings at all, how to launch it

"Squire patriarch? What do they do to motivate them? What we want to mobilize is the broad masses of toiling people, not these squire patriarchs who only know how to do power, and even we have to suppress a few local tyrants and bad gentry who are extremely angry and do evil, and only when the broad masses of toiling people see hope will they support us from the bottom of their hearts. ”