Just when Wang Haitao was about to say goodbye to Chairman Mao and Commander-in-Chief Zhu, there was a voice at the door: "Report!" came from the door, Wang Haitao looked back and saw a soldier standing at the door with a somewhat anxious look. After Chairman Mao let the soldiers in, the soldiers said: "Report to Commander-in-Chief Zhu, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng and Chief of Staff Ye, please go to the command room immediately." Commander-in-Chief Zhu was stunned for a moment and replied, "I know, I'll go over immediately." ”

After the soldiers left, Commander-in-Chief Zhu and Wang Haitao said a few more words before hurriedly leaving the command room, and Wang Haitao also proposed his resignation to Chairman Mao. Chairman Mao knew that there were a lot of things in Guangxi, and it was rare for Wang Haitao to come out for so long, so he no longer kept him, but he couldn't help but persuade the 90th Army to join the CCP.

Wang Haitao went to his residence, called Tangshan Leopard, and asked Tangshan Leopard to assemble the team and prepare to set off. As soon as the team was assembled, General Peng Dehuai hurried over. After entering the door, General Peng Dehuai said: "Commander Wang, we were supposed to see you off when you left, but now I'm afraid it won't work." As soon as we received the report, the Japanese army suddenly launched an attack on the west bank of the Yellow River and broke through the Yellow River defense line, and now the Japanese army's Ninth Mixed Brigade and about 10,000 puppet troops are rushing towards Yan'an, northern Shaanxi. I have already agreed with the comrades below that you should return according to the original route, and I will send someone to escort you across the Yellow River. However, the Japanese army has been sweeping frequently recently, and after crossing the Yellow River, it is an enemy-occupied area, so you must pay more attention to safety. ”

After Mr. Peng finished speaking, a group of soldiers appeared at the gate of Wang Haitao's troops, and General Peng Dehuai said: "This is my guard platoon, let them escort you to the Yellow River." After speaking, General Peng Dehuai turned around to give an order to the guard platoon commander who led the team. Wang Haitao hurriedly shouted: "General Peng, don't worry, I have something to discuss with you." ”

Mr. Peng glanced back at Wang Haitao, and Wang Haitao said, "General Peng, my troops and I want to participate in this war against Japan. General Peng Dehuai hurriedly said: "That's not good, you are guests from afar, how can you be allowed to participate in the battle?" Wang Haitao replied: "Although we are not the Eighth Route Army, Little Japan is the enemy of our whole nation, how can we stand idly by when the enemy hits the door?"

General Peng Dehuai thought for a while and said: "I don't know the master of this matter, I have to ask Secretary Mao and Commander-in-Chief Zhu to agree, so let's go back and report to the two of you, and tell you if I have a decision." Wang Haitao said: "General Peng, can I go to the command room with you?" After General Peng Dehuai nodded in agreement, Wang Haitao ordered all the Tangshan leopards to be on standby, and then came to the command room with General Peng Dehuai.

The command room was busy, the main responsible persons of the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army were there, and General He Long, commander of the 120th Division, General Xiao Jinguang, commander and political commissar of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo Left-behind Corps, and Cao Lihuai, chief of staff, were also there. On the conference table, there was a map, and Chief of General Staff Ye Jianying, General He Long and others were comparing around the map. Seeing General Peng Dehuai and Wang Haitao coming at the same time, the people inside were stunned.

Commander-in-Chief Zhu greeted him with a smile and said, "Commander Wang, because there is an urgent military situation, so everyone has not been able to see off Commander Wang, please forgive Commander Wang." Wang Haitao replied: "Commander-in-Chief Zhu is polite, I came here to ask Commander-in-Chief Zhu to let me and my men participate in the war." I also hope that Commander-in-Chief Zhu will allow it. Commander-in-Chief Zhu showed a look of embarrassment on his face and said: "Commander Wang is a distinguished guest of our CCP, how can there be any reason to let guests participate in the war?"

Wang Haitao replied: "In the face of our common enemy, there is no distinction between host and guest, besides, although the Central Guard Regiment has been trained with me for more than a month, it has not yet been tested in actual combat, and I am willing to let my troops fight together with the Central Guard Regiment to improve them in actual combat." Commander-in-Chief Zhu thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I agree that you and your troops will participate in this battle." ”

Seeing that Commander-in-Chief Zhu agreed, Wang Haitao didn't say much, walked to the map and asked, "Chief of General Staff Ye, what is the situation now?" After the Japanese army broke through the Yellow River defense line and broke through the Yellow River defense line, one part of the main force rushed to Yan'an with three infantry brigades, one cavalry squadron, two artillery squadrons, and two regiments of the puppet army, and now it was approaching Yichuan County; the other part rushed to the direction of our logistics base in Yanchang County with two infantry brigades, one cavalry squadron, one artillery squadron, and one regiment of the puppet army. ”

Chief of General Staff Ye replied: "Of the three divisions of the main force of the Eighth Route Army, only the 359th Brigade of the 120th Division is near Yan'an, and the 359th Brigade has been ordered to block the main force of the Japanese army in Yichuan County, and cooperate with the four regiments of the left-behind corps. The other four regiments of the remaining corps were ready to be placed in the direction of the extension line to block the Japanese troops. This time, the Japanese army attacked us with only more than 8,000 troops, and the strength of the 359th Brigade plus the left-behind corps was more than 30,000. ”

Wang Haitao looked at the map, thought for a while, and said: "As far as I know, this independent mixed brigade of the Japanese army is a second-rate unit in the Japanese army, so let's just eat this independent mixed brigade of the Japanese army this time." After listening to Wang Haitao's words, Mr. Zhu and General Peng Dehuai were interested, and Mr. Zhu asked, "What good ideas does Commander Wang have?"

Wang Haitao replied: "The 359th Brigade is the main brigade, and its combat effectiveness will not be weak, and my troops, together with a battalion of the Central Guard Regiment and an artillery brigade, should be able to annihilate the three infantry brigades of the Japanese army." After annihilating this group of Japanese troops, we will turn back and surround the Japanese troops attacking Yanchang County and make their dumplings. Commander-in-Chief Zhu looked at the map for a while and asked, "Are you sure that the Japanese army that will attack Yichuan County will be completely annihilated?"

Wang Haitao replied: "Please give me three days from the commander-in-chief, and I will let my reconnaissance company reconnoiter the entire situation of the Japanese army, and then I will know that I am almost sure that the Japanese army will be completely annihilated." Commander-in-Chief Zhu replied: "Okay, I will hold the devil for three days, and after three days, Commander Wang will give me an answer." Wang Haitao was about to leave after he got down, but General Ye Jianying stopped Wang Haitao and said, "Commander Wang, let the reconnaissance company of the Central Guard Regiment also go to assist you." ”

Wang Haitao responded again, then turned around and left the command room. Soon after, Wang Haitao's reconnaissance company and the reconnaissance company of the Central Guard Regiment were divided into two routes, carrying radio stations and galloping towards the Japanese army, while Wang Haitao asked the Tangshan Leopards to make all preparations for battle, and at the same time, the Central Guard Regiment also sent the battalion equipped with new equipment to Wang Haitao.

Two days passed, and on the evening of the next day, Wang Haitao received two telegrams from the reconnaissance company, which gave a detailed explanation of the situation of the Japanese army's independent mixed Ninth Brigade, including who the commander was, how many troops there were, how well they were armed, and so on. After reading it, Wang Haitao already knew what to expect, and overnight he wrote an analysis of the enemy's situation and a battle plan based on the contents of the telegram.

On the morning of the third day, Wang Haitao came to the command room with a written analysis of the enemy situation and the battle plan, and Commander-in-Chief Zhu and others were all in the command room. Commander-in-Chief Zhu opened the analysis of the enemy situation, and first of all was the list of officers of the 9th Brigade of the Japanese Army's Independent Mixed Brigade, from Major General Kenji Chigami, the commander of the brigade, to the captains of the five independent infantry brigades below, followed by the composition of troops, weaponry, and combat strength assessment.

After reading this analysis of the enemy situation, Commander-in-Chief Zhu handed it over to Chief of Staff Ye beside him, and then opened the battle plan and read it. In the battle plan, Wang Haitao wrote in detail how to deal with the enemy in the early stage, how to lure the enemy into depth, how to concentrate superior forces to annihilate one of them, how to encircle the other in the end, and how to completely annihilate the Japanese army.

After reading the battle plan, Commander-in-Chief Zhu praised: "Sun Tzu's Art of War has the saying of 'knowing oneself and knowing one's opponent, and not being defeated in a hundred battles'. This analysis of the enemy situation is extremely valuable, and this battle plan is also very practical. Let's discuss this battle plan together. Next, it was mainly Wang Haitao who was stating the battle plan, while others were asking.

After Wang Haitao answered all the questions, and the people in the room could no longer ask questions, Commander-in-Chief Zhu and Chief of General Staff Ye discussed in a whisper for a while. Later, Commander-in-Chief Zhu stood up and said: "After discussion, General Wang Haitao's battle plan was unanimously approved, and we will implement this battle in accordance with this battle plan. Next, I ordered the 359th Brigade of the 120th Division to rush to Yichuan County in advance, and with the assistance of the Yichuan County Garrison, to block the Japanese army, Commander Wang Haitao will lead the 1st Battalion of the Central Guard Regiment, and the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Artillery Brigade will then rush to Yichuan County. The commander-in-chief of operations in Yichuan County is General Wang Haitao, and anyone on the front line must obey General Wang Haitao's command.

The eight regiments of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo Left-behind Corps were all engaged in the blocking battle in Yanchang County, and they must block the Japanese army for seven days, and the third regiment of the artillery brigade was commanded by Commander Xiao Jinguang. After the victory of the battle in Yichuan County, he cooperated with the main force to encircle and attack the Japanese army in Yanchang County. The battle in Yanchang County was under the full responsibility of Commander Xiao Jinguang. The 2nd Battalion of the Central Guard Regiment and the Special Service Regiment of the Army remained in Yan'an City. ”

With the issuance of Commander-in-Chief Zhu's order, Yan'an City became busy. All units launched operations one after another, and Wang Haitao also gathered his guard company, the first battalion of the Central Guard Regiment, the first regiment and the second regiment of the artillery brigade, and opened the allocation in Yichuan County. The 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Artillery Brigade are the two regiments equipped with 50 75-caliber field guns, and the two regiments have 50 trucks towing artillery.

There are cars that naturally go very fast, and Wang Haitao only took one day to rush to Yichuan County. At this time, the 359th Brigade had already arrived at Yichuan County, but the Japanese army was still a day's way away from Yichuan County because of the delay of the small number of guard troops. Yichuan City was too small, and the 359th Brigade only left one regiment in the city, and the other two regiments were rushing to repair fortifications outside the city.