When the troops led by Tong Batu caught up with the main force of the brigade of Chief of Staff He Xigetu, it was already the evening of 16 September, and the afterglow of the setting sun was sprinkled on the gradually yellowing grassland, flowing with a poignant texture.

Seeing the flames of the campfire beating in the distance, Tong Batu suddenly had a very cordial feeling, since he stepped on horseback, he had never left the army, this time, it was the longest separation, more than ten hours, it seemed to be a long time, where there were comrades-in-arms and brothers, it was home, and he had an urge to go home.

He Xigetu, the chief of staff of the brigade who received the telegram, took a few guards, beat his horse like flying, and greeted him from a distance of several miles, and as soon as he met Tong Batu, he hurriedly jumped off his horse, and the two Mongolian men hugged each other tightly, beat each other's backs, and made a "dong dong" sound, and all the soldiers who participated in the night attack restrained their horses, smiled, and looked at the two bigwigs of the second brigade, that unique way of meeting.

He Xigetu wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said: "Brigade commander, I'm worried about death, people are here, but my heart is on the battlefield, you don't know, the army won the battle, and after the news of the lesson to Lao Maozi came back, the camp was boiling, and those soldiers who did not participate in the battle were waiting for you in the camp, saying that they were going to use the grassland, the most solemn ceremony, to welcome the warriors who returned triumphantly!" ”

He Xigetu flew on his horse and shouted loudly: "Soldiers, in the camp, fragrant milk tea and softly boiled meat have been prepared, our comrades-in-arms who did not participate in the battle, in this way, welcome your triumphant return!" However, without alcohol, our troops are not allowed to drink alcohol, this is the rule of the division commander. When I arrive in Kulen, I will definitely ask the brigade commander to give everyone a day off and have a good drink! ”

The soldiers cheered, the battlefield returned, the fragrant milk tea and meat, which can wash away the dust on the body, what could be more desirable than this!

Tong Batu said with a low smile: "Old man, I don't usually see it, are you quite good at doing ideological work?" I think that after arriving in Kulen, I will report to the division commander and ask you to serve as the chief of staff and director of political training of our brigade. ”

He Xigetu grinned and replied with some emotion: "It's not about catching ducks on the shelves." You threw thousands of men at me, worried about you. The situation of the troops is still a little unstable. The shadow of the almost complete annihilation of the second battalion is still in the hearts of the soldiers, but in more than ten hours, I feel that half of my life has passed! ”

The two looked at each other, laughed, and then. Walking on horseback, Tong Batu gave He Xigetu a detailed account of the battle, and heard that there were no Soviet pursuers behind him. He Xigetu breathed a clear sigh of relief.

When they arrived at the camp, the scene in front of them made the soldiers who returned from the battle a little shy, more than 4,000 cavalrymen, divided into two long columns, the sabers in their hands were raised flat on their chests, and they were full of envy and unconvinced, this is the cavalry troops, the highest welcome etiquette, the war knives are like a forest, the afterglow of the sunset, reflecting the snowy blade, like a golden grassland, a burst of white waves.

Tong Batu shouted, "All the soldiers of the participating troops, return the salute!" Then, under the eager gaze of the warriors, the first horse rode into the camp, and behind him were more than a thousand soldiers who had returned from a bloody battle!

After dinner, Tong Batu ordered the radio station to report the battle in the early hours of this morning, as well as the casualties of the troops and the results of the enemy's annihilation, to the division commander Tang Qiuli.

After the telegram was sent, Tong Batu was mentally prepared to bear the punishment of the division commander, after all, when the enemy was outnumbered, the troops were still on the way to retreat, and a battle involving the scale of the brigade was not asked for the approval of the division commander.

On the evening of 16 September, in Kulen, the headquarters of the Outer Mongolian Frontier Army, in Tang Qiuli's temporary headquarters, Colonel Wang Jun, chief of staff of the Outer Mongolian Frontier Army, came in with a telegram and said: "Division commander, great news, the Second Cavalry Brigade attacked an armored brigade of the Soviet Army at night in the area of Habdor in order to get rid of the pursuit of the Soviet army on the way to retreat, and at the cost of killing 58 soldiers, it achieved the result of destroying more than 1,800 enemy personnel and destroying more than 100 armored vehicles and trucks!" ”

This is Wang Jun, who is deliberately excusing Tong Batu, he cleverly did not directly say the number of casualties, but only said the number of casualties, highlighting the results of the battle, no matter how big the battle Tong Batu won, without asking for instructions, without authorization, mobilize troops and organize a battle, which in itself is a violation of orders, and there is a suspicion of disorganization and undiscipline, and what the division commander is most disgusted and even hated is that the troops do not obey orders and act without authorization.

Sure enough, Tang Qiuli's brows furrowed, looked at Wang Jun and said, "Oh! Tong Batu won a big battle quietly, how come I don't know, who approved him to fight this battle? Why don't you ask for instructions and report in advance? ”

According to his own understanding, Wang Jun explained: "Division commander, I am afraid that the Second Brigade fought this battle for a reason, it should be that the pursuing Soviet troops bit too tightly, in order to be able to retreat safely, Brigade Commander Tong had to take counter-attack measures, from the perspective of effect, the purpose of the battle was completely achieved, according to the telegram of the Second Brigade, within the eight-hour march, no Soviet troops were found chasing after them. ”

Tang Qiuli didn't speak, took the telegram and read it, and then, stared at Wang Jun for a while, and said: "Not bad, the ratio of one to twenty killed, Tong Batu's return to the horse gun, pick up a big bargain, according to your meaning, Tong Batu acted without authorization, is it a last resort, if you don't fight this battle, the second brigade will not be able to retreat to Kulen safely?" ”

Wang Jun replied honestly: "Division commander, I think this is the case, the situation faced by the Second Brigade is special. ”

Tang Qiuli sighed and shook his head, he knew that Tong Batu, regardless of the danger of being entangled by the Soviet army's pursuing troops, fought this battle, it was not that the casualties of the second battalion were huge, so that Tong Batu couldn't swallow this breath, with Tong Batu's character, he didn't retaliate if he suffered a loss, it was more uncomfortable than killing him, and the fundamental reason for not asking for instructions and not reporting was that he was afraid that he would not approve it, so he simply beat it and said it.

Tang Qiuli pondered for a moment and said: "Chief of Staff Wang, record the order, 1. The Second Cavalry Brigade of the Outer Mongolian Frontier Army, on the way to retreat, was able to judge the situation and take the initiative to find fighters, and at a slight cost, it severely damaged an armored brigade of the Soviet Army and achieved a record of destroying more than 1,800 enemies. ”

"2. Major General Tong Batu, commander of the Second Cavalry Brigade of the Outer Mongolian Frontier Army, in the course of carrying out the division's order to withdraw from Irkutsk, mobilized troops to participate in the battle without asking for instructions, and caused casualties in his headquarters, and removed him from the post of commander of the Second Cavalry Brigade and acted as the commander of the Second Cavalry Brigade.

After recording the order, Wang Jun smiled bitterly and said, "Division Commander, you really have clear rewards and punishments, but I'm afraid that Brigade Commander Tong will be unconvinced!" After winning the battle and being dismissed, no one feels good in their hearts, division commander, will the dismissal be changed to a strict warning? ”

Tang Qiuli smiled coldly and said: "Chief of Staff Wang, since you know that the rewards and punishments are clear, then Tong Batu should accept this result, if he still acts without authorization, then the two words of acting on his head will not be able to be saved, I am lacking a cavalry guard staff officer, you ask him, are you willing to come?" In a war, you can't rely on a momentary fluke, not to mention that a cavalry unit against an armored brigade of the Soviet Army is in itself a risk, and an unorganized and undisciplined unit will suffer a big loss sooner or later! ”

Wang Junyi grinned, and said secretly in his heart: "The division commander's words are heavy enough, especially the move of being transferred to the side as a staff officer, which makes all the generals with troops afraid of them, in the whole army of the independent division, only Major General Liu Hongzhang, commander of the first brigade of the directly subordinate corps, Major General Le Yiqin and Major General Liu Cuigang, commanders of the two major flying groups in the north and south of the aviation force, have enjoyed this kind of treatment, it is said that the three major generals, in the division headquarters, do not dare to raise their heads!" ”

When the telegram was sent to the headquarters of the Second Cavalry Brigade, it was already late at night, and Tong Batu had not yet rested, but in the tent, by the dim oil lamp, he was carefully looking at the map of Outer Mongolia, and from time to time he used a pencil to draw various lines on the map, looking attentive and serious.

Brigade Chief of Staff He Xigetu walked into the tent, pushed a telegram in front of his eyes, and said: "The division commander has replied to the telegram, there are rewards and punishments, our second brigade has become famous in the whole army, and the general order is commended, you have been removed from your post, acting brigade commander, I have been punished with a written warning, and I have also been fined two months' allowance, a few hundred yuan, and in the next two months, I will count on you to eat!" ”

Tong Batu turned on the oil light, carefully read the telegram, patted his thigh, laughed and said: "I didn't expect it, the division commander's punishment of our old Tong is so light, what agent is not an agent, as long as he is still in the second brigade, but, old man, you can't expect me to eat, my half-year's allowance is taken out, and I will make a pension for the fallen soldiers, within half a year, I will be poorer than you, and I am not afraid of hunger, so follow me!" ”

He Xigetu was helpless for a while, and said mysteriously: "Brigade commander, do you know what Chief of Staff Wang said in the telegram sent later?" ”

Tong Batu's eyes widened vigilantly, and he said, "I didn't see it, so do you know what Chief of Staff Wang said?" Don't sell it, say it! ”

He Xigetu said slowly: "Chief of Staff Wang in the telegram, word for word relayed the division commander's original words, if he Tong Batu still acted without authorization, then the two words of agent on his head will not be able to keep, I am short of a cavalry guard staff officer, you ask him, are you willing to come?" ”

"Ahh Tong Batu screamed, jumped up suddenly, and almost knocked over the oil lamp.

(To be continued) (To be continued.) )