Fifteen kilometers away from the southern suburbs of Changhua Town, on the bank of Changhua Creek, Heqiao Township

Cliffs rise, waterfalls swell, and a chilly mountain breeze sweeps through the evergreen bamboo forest, making a crisp and pleasant rustling sound.

In the narrow valley running north-south, a dusty Kuomintang army was camping and resting in this poor and dilapidated mountain village.

-- Although Changhua is located on the edge of the Yangtze River Delta, not far from the flat and rich Hangjiahu Plain, less than 100 kilometers away from Hangzhou, it is located in the midst of mountains, and is a major scenic tourist and leisure resort in modern Shijie.

In general, the east side of Changhua is the Tianmu Mountain, which is famous for producing dried bamboo shoots (the author used to eat dried bamboo shoots from Tianmu Mountain every day with breakfast when he was a child), and not far from the west is the famous Grand Canyon in western Zhejiang, which can be called the cliff abrupt, the strange stones stand in a forest, the canyons are numerous, the mountains are stacked on top of each other, there is the danger of strange rocks and strange stones, and there is the victory of flowing springs and waterfalls...... Almost everywhere in the county are verdant and dense bamboo forests, majestic cliffs, rocky and turbulent shoals, continuous peaks, pleasant birdsong, clouds and mist, turbulent water, fresh air, and pleasant scenery. And it has a variety of rare animal and plant resources...... In the 21st century, all of this is an excellent tourist resource, attracting countless tourists who are tired of the "reinforced concrete forest" from China's largest metropolitan area in Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou every year. Tourism and the trade in tea, bamboo shoots and pecans alone are enough to support Changhua's local finances.

But in the era of the Republic of China, when the tourism and transportation industries were not developed, this beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers was beautiful. However, it is a symbol of poor mountains and bad water -- a lack of plains means a lack of arable land, and undulating mountains means poor transportation, and as a result, Changhua's industry and agriculture cannot develop. It became a poor place with no oil and water.

Therefore, the so-called beautiful mountains and rivers, in this era of scarcity, give people the first feeling, that is, the mountains and rivers are poor.

What's more, Wang Yaowu's supplementary 1st Brigade has been chasing the butts of Xun Huaizhou and Su Yu, and has been turning around in the mountains and mountains of western Zhejiang, southern Anhui, and northern Jiangxi for almost a month. Wading through mountains and rivers and going through hardships and dangers, this beautiful scenery has seen too much, and it has long been greasy.

Looking back at the turbulent war some time ago. Picking up the dense blisters on his feet, Major General Brigade Commander Wang Yaowu couldn't help but sigh.

Ever since he was ordered to leave his garrison in Yushan, Jiangxi, and enter the mountainous area of western Zhejiang to pursue Su Yu and Xunhuaizhou, the Red Army's anti-Japanese advance force (the predecessor of the Red Tenth Army) went north, and there was hardly a decent battle fought in a decent manner. It's like a hunter tracking an antelope. Circling in the mountains with the ass of the Red Army all day long, he always couldn't figure out the opponent's attack route, and he couldn't catch the opponent's rear troops. Even if there were occasional skirmishes, they were fought with a shrunken hand, and there was no way to exert their superiority in firepower and troops, and they were easily thrown off by the cunning Red Army.

From Yushan, they marched to Quxian (Quzhou), then ran from Quxian to Chun'an, and chased from Chun'an to southern Anhui. Now it continues to recover from southern Anhui to western Zhejiang...... The Kuomintang and Communist armies were like cats and mice, endlessly circling in circles between the deep mountains and old forests in the south. There was no end to the end of the journey in sight -- by this day, Wang Yaowu's 1st Supplementary Brigade was haggard, dark, thin, demoralized, and exhausted.

“…… Damn, are the three regiments still behind and haven't followed? What the hell does Li Tianxia eat! Walking so hard! ”

Sitting in the military tent that had just been set up, he rested for a while, watching the brigade headquarters and the first and second regiments of the 1st Brigade arrive at the camp one after another, but the 3rd Regiment and the 1st Zhejiang Security Column were left behind and did not arrive for a long time.

“…… Brigade, please stop being angry, Brother Li may also have a last resort. Liu Baoding, the head of the first regiment, hurriedly came up to persuade, "...... His three regiments also carried the wounded soldiers' hospital, artillery team, and baggage team, while the brigade's daima losers (the iron shoulder team that carried the burden and pulled the mountain artillery) had been suffering from dysentery for a while, and some of them died of illness. It's just that you can't catch a strong man in this barren mountain and wilderness, and it's normal to walk slowly. In addition, Brother Li had to wait for the group of security guards to catch up, so as not to be out of touch...... And you know what kind of rags the security regiments in Zhejiang are......"

“…… Oh, yes! The bandits are cunning, and every time they rest, we have to go around to find out what they are doing. By the time they finally found out which valley they were hiding, the red bandits had already rested and were on the road again. As a result, we can only run back and forth in the mountains. ”

Zhou Zhidao, the second head of the regiment, also echoed and complained, "...... Today, we have been led by the red bandits in the mountains for more than half a month, let alone resting, and we can't even eat a hot meal. Moreover, the army is mostly northerners, and they can't stand the cold and damp weather in the southern mountains, and the lack of adaptation to the water and soil alone is enough to make people choke. ”

“…… What's even more infuriating is that we have suffered so much, suffered so many sins, and died so many people on the mountain road, and now we have finally caught up with the tail of Xun Huaizhou and Su Yu's department, and we will soon be able to fight a good battle with the 19th Division of the bandits. Who knew that Shangfeng ordered us to turn around and suppress some kind of rebellion in Changhua, which caused us to waste our previous efforts...... "A staff officer also interjected and complained," ...... Isn't that putting the cart before the horse? ”

Seeing that a group of weather-beaten subordinates were spitting out bitterness, Major General Wang Yaowu was also full of resentment, and he didn't know where to go.

-- Although his supplementary 1st Brigade is an elite German armament brigade, even in the sequence of the Kuomintang Whampoa Central Army, it can be regarded as the most well-equipped unit. But the problem is that being equipped with well-armed German weapons does not mean that his brigade is good at fighting mountain warfare. The heavy anti-aircraft guns, mountain guns, and armoured cars, in the mountains without access to roads, all became a burden to the march: the armoured cars were thrown at the old garrison from the beginning, and the flat-fire guns and mountain guns had to be dismantled and dragged up the hill by pack horses, mules, and coolies.

Just getting into the mountains is already so troublesome. The days of pursuing the Red Army were even more miserable -- because they had to avoid the main forces and fortified checkpoints of the Kuomintang, Su Yu and Xun Huaizhou's Red 19th Division always preferred to march on those remote paths, and as a result, the 1st Brigade was supplemented by Major General Wang Yaowu. They also had to follow in the footsteps of the Red Army, climb over mountains and mountains in the rugged mountains of western Zhejiang and southern Anhui, stay overnight, and stagger along the trails that the mountain people have stepped on for hundreds of years. They followed the Red Army one after the other, eating and sleeping all day long, opening roads and building bridges in the mountains and rivers, and in some rugged areas, they even had to carry baggage wagons and artillery wagons on their shoulders. A lot of people are so tired that they get out of shape...... No way, the equipment is too heavy!

The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, on the other hand, was poorly equipped and lightly armed, but it fully demonstrated its mobility in this kind of guerrilla warfare in the mountainous areas. From time to time, give the pursuing troops a cold shot, or set a trap...... It made it difficult to replenish the 1st Brigade, but it could only grit its teeth and hold on.

Even more terrible than trekking through mountains and rivers is the problem of not being able to find a way in the barren mountains and mountains - according to the routine of those martial arts novels. In the deep mountains and old forests of the land of China. There seem to be several places everywhere where you can ask for directions and rest, such as Taoist temples. However, in the real "anti-bandit operation in southern Zhejiang", Major General Wang Yaowu often wandered around the mountains for two or three days with his face face, but could not find a single artificial building, and the map in his hand was also full of errors, making the entire army at a loss...... Thanks to the fact that the local snake of the Zhejiang security column led the way, so that the Red Army would not be lost.

After such a long chase battle, Major General Wang Yaowu and his supplementary 1st Brigade finally caught up with the tail of the Red 19th Division in the mountainous area of western Zhejiang, and were about to rush up to fight a big battle. was sent to Changhua by a paper order to quell the people's rebellion...... In this way, all the previous hard work and sacrifice seem to have been in vain. It is no wonder that the Kuomintang officers who supplemented the 1st Brigade were angry and complaining about this.

In fact, Major General Wang Yaowu, as the commander of the first brigade, will definitely only be more resentful than his subordinates, but the problem is ......

“…… Although it is very unwilling, what can be done? Shangfeng is also worried that the mob in Changhua will merge with Su Yu's red bandits, thus eroding the northern part of Zhejiang......" Wang Yaowu said helplessly to his subordinates, "...... Moreover, this is the order of Yu Jishi, the director of security in Zhejiang Province! ”

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Speaking of which, who is Yu Jishi, the director of the Zhejiang Provincial Security Department who is the commander-in-chief of the pursuit and suppression force?

Why is it that in the embarrassing capacity of a "militia chief," he can give orders to the regular army of the party-state of the Huangpu lineage in a big way?

Well, that's the truth that scares you! He is not only a first-term student of Whampoa, but also Lao Jiang's nephew! The descendants of the lineage, the cronies of the cronies!

-- After graduating from the first class of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924, Yu Jishi served as Chiang Kai-shek's bodyguard. During the days by Chiang Kai-shek's side, Yu Jishi successively served as a platoon commander, company commander, battalion commander, regiment commander, brigade commander, and division commander of Chiang Kai-shek's guard troops. In January 1932, Yu Ji was the commander of the 88th Division and led his troops to participate in the "I. 28 "Songhu Anti-Japanese War, heavy damage to the Japanese army in Miaohang Town. In this battle, he was seriously injured in the abdomen and perforated his intestines, and was later cured by the German Concession Hospital...... Because of this special relationship with Chiang Kai-shek and his military exploits, Yu Jishi has always been known in the military circles as arrogant and domineering, empty-eyed, and bitter and mean-spirited, only remembering grudges and not gratitude, and the whole country has made countless enemies, but for the sake of Lao Chiang's face, others can only give him three points.

In 1933, when he was appointed as the director of the Zhejiang Provincial Security Department, he was ignored by Lu Diping, the chairman of Zhejiang Province, because of a reorganization of the county security regiments, and this jihua was instructed by Chiang Kai-shek before he took office, and he had already submitted the original Jihua of his reorganization of the county security regiments to Chiang Kai-shek of the "Nanchang Xingying" for review, and Chiang personally approved the "trial operation". Therefore, after he received the order, at the provincial government office meeting, Yang Mianzhong, a close confidant of Lu Diping, who had interfered with the implementation of this jihua, scolded: "...... The reorganization of the security regiment is a special matter for the chairman, and the proposed jihua is adhering to the will of Chairman Jiang, what kind of thing are you, dare to obstruct it! After that, he was still angry, and he actually swung his fist at Yang Mianzhong!

Lu Diping, chairman of Zhejiang Province, was a veteran warlord who was quite influential in the military circles during the Republic of China, and in the face of this situation, he had no choice but to follow his jihua. Yang Mianzhong, a close confidant, could only comfort him privately, saying: "...... When I was a general leading the troops to fight, this kid was still in infancy, and now he is relying on Jiang's shili. No one is in his eyes, so you can bear with it, why fight with him for a day......"

Arguably. Yu Jishi was named the director of security in Zhejiang Province at this time, but in fact he was the emperor of Zhejiang Province. None of the military and political dignitaries in various places dared to provoke Yu Jishi, the Jiang family Taibao, which made him even more arrogant for a while.

And Wang Yaowu, as a major general and brigade commander, naturally did not have the courage to criticize the "wise decision" of Yu Jishi, the "Emperor of Zhejiang Province", so he had to give up the Red 20th Division, which was about to be caught by the tail in front of him. Turned around and assisted the waste security group in Zhejiang Province to suppress the "Red Bandit Riot" in Changhua...... Speaking of which, this is also Wang Yaowu's own sins -- if he had met that local official yesterday who was talking nonsense about "the Soviet ironclad troops broke through Changhua." If he directly blew this guy who was suspected of being mentally ill away, instead of using the radio station to report the matter to the province, then Director Yu Jishi probably would not have thought of arresting him and letting the supplementary 1st Brigade turn around and go to Changhua Town to quell the chaos.

But that's it. No matter how much you regret it, it's useless...... And. Thinking about it on the other hand, it seems to be a good thing to be able to leave the sequence of encircling and suppressing the Red Tenth Army and temporarily free from the "life imprisonment" and "lifelong occupation" of playing and seeking with the red bandits.

-- Looking at the bearded, swarthy and emaciated faces of his subordinates, Major General Wang Yaowu thought...... He knew very well that although his subordinates were all strong men, they had been sleeping in the open for so many days, traveling long distances, drinking cold water, and eating dry food. I was already on the verge of overdraft, and I was very, very tired. It's just that it all relies on the false fire of "catching up with the red bandits and deciding the outcome in a battle", and it is still barely holding on.

Now that the task of chasing down the Red Bandits has been given to others for the time being, the morale of the 1st Brigade has been washed away at once, and if I don't find a place to rest and recuperate, I am afraid that in a few days, this army will collapse -- and this task of quelling the chaos is a very good opportunity to rest and recuperate.

“…… I know that everyone has worked hard, but I ask you brothers to work harder, and when tomorrow we enter the county seat of Changhua, and suppress the gang of cunning mobs that scared the magistrates crazy, and recover Changhua, I will order the local families to boil water for cooking, slaughter pigs and sheep, and vacate some decent houses, so that the brothers can eat and drink well and sleep well, and relax in the town for a few days before they ...... open."

However, just as Wang Yaowu was dismissing his subordinates, a babbling staff officer suddenly burst in and interrupted him.

“…… Sir! Plane! Report sir! There's a plane coming from the north! ”

“…… Isn't it just a plane? What's there to fuss about? Major General Wang Yaowu glanced at him angrily, "...... You're not a country bun you've never seen an airplane! Don't forget, Hangzhou, the provincial capital more than 100 kilometers to the east, is stationed in the Central Aviation School! More than half of the party-state's air force is there! What's so strange about sending a plane to Changhua to reconnoiter now? ”

“…… Report to the Brigade! The plane that just came from the north was not the same as what we had seen before! Seem...... Much smaller? ”

-- Sure enough, when Major General Wang Yaowu stepped out of the tent and observed the propeller plane hovering in the air with a telescope, he could see the strangeness of this thing at a glance -- first, its propeller was located behind the plane rather than in front, and it belonged to the rare propulsion type rather than the common pull-in type; Secondly, the plane is so small that it can't fit a single person no matter how you look at it; Moreover, on the fuselage and wings of this small plane, there is no blue sky and white sun badge...... Of course, there are no signs from other countries, but the whole body is painted silver-white, as if it has just been assembled......

“…… Such a small plane...... Why do you have to be a pilot? Major General Wang Yaowu gestured and asked the people around him suspiciously.

However, the other officers also shook their heads in unison about this strange little plane, unable to say why...... After a few more moments, the odd little plane spun lightly and turned north and left. And Major General Wang Yaowu, who was busy with affairs, naturally left this trivial matter behind him -- probably because the Air Force had imported some new Western gadgets!

-- What Major General Wang Yaowu didn't know was that he had just missed an opportunity to save Zuihou, who was replenishing the 1st Brigade......

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Fifteen kilometers north of the Kuomintang Supplementary First Brigade, in the county seat of Changhua, the temporary station of the Chengguan Dogtooth International Column

“…… Be careful! Slow down...... A little further on, I almost wiped the roof just now...... Good! That's it! Vertical Drop ......"

With the waving of flags and shouting from the ground guides, a small propulsive unmanned reconnaissance aircraft circled and began to slow down, while the large nose of the round nose began to droop...... Immediately afterwards, the pitch of the coaxial conjugate propeller behind the fuselage changed, and the direction of thrust generated by the four blades suddenly dropped, thus making the entire unmanned reconnaissance plane hover directly above the courtyard like a helicopter.

Then, the drone, which had completed its mission, slowly descended, and finally landed accurately on a large elastic net. When the propeller stopped, it was packed up by a few "amateur ground staff" and waited to be teleported back through the wormhole for professionals to take care of the maintenance.

At the same time, in a room where many cables and instruments were temporarily laid and fluorescent screens flashed everywhere, several commanders of the Chengguan Dogtooth International Column also determined the final strike plan against the Kuomintang army Wang Yaowu based on the live enemy situation captured by the drone. (To be continued......)