Although the gunfire on the opposite position was very intense, Wang Haitao, who knew it well, still strode forward. As soon as he approached the position of the national army at the foot of the mountain, a shout came from the opposite side: "Is it Commander Wang?" Wang Haitao heard that the voice was like Liao Tian, so he replied: "It's me, are you Brigade Commander Liao?" Another answer came from the opposite side: "I am Liao Tian, Commander Wang, are your people coming?" With the voice, several figures appeared.

Wang Haitao walked up to a few figures, and by the light of the fire, he saw that it was Liao Tian standing there with a few low-level officers. Wang Haitao said to Liao Tian: "Brigade Commander Liao, the team behind is the people of the New Fourth Army, and I would like to thank Division Commander Xu and Brigade Commander Liao for their help." Liao Tian replied: "Commander Wang doesn't need to be polite, they are all fellow villagers, and maybe there will be a place to ask for Commander Wang in the future." ”

Wang Haitao nodded and said: "Brigade Commander Liao, don't worry, if it is useful to me in the future, just ask, and I will definitely help if I can help Wang Haitao." As he spoke, Huang Yuting also came up with the second detachment. Liao Tian saw that the team behind him came up, so he said to Wang Haitao: "Commander Wang, according to the plan, my division has given way to the frontal position, and you lead the team to the direction of Zhaxi Village, and you can join your men after passing Zhaxi Village." ”

Wang Haitao didn't say much more, and said to Huang Yuting: "Captain Huang, let your people shoot at the sky, and then quickly pass through the position of the national army, I will let my men lead the way in front, and you can lead the team to follow my people." Captain Huang answered, turned around and gave an order in a low voice, and the soldiers of the second detachment also took up their weapons to shoot at the sky, and quickly passed through the position while shooting.

After Huang Yuting's two detachments had all passed, it was the logistics department that these non-combatants continued to pass through here under the protection of the two detachments. The troops of the 170th Division had opened a gap more than 200 meters wide on both sides, which was enough for the men and horses of the New Fourth Army to pass smoothly. However, the troops of the 170th Division were still shooting into the sky, and the fierce gunfire indicated that they were still holding back the troops that broke through.

When the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army also came over under the protection of the guard brigade, there were not many teams behind. Left behind the rear for the large army was the first detachment of the Second Column under the personal command of Su Yu, which was also the strongest combat force in the Second Column. At this time, Wang Haitao said goodbye to Liao Tian and them, and followed the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army through the position. After all the military headquarters passed through the position, Commander Ye Ting said to Wang Haitao: "General Wang, thanks to your presence this time, our department can rush out without any casualties. We will never forget what General Wang has done to us. ”

Wang Haitao said: "Commander Ye said this is a little early, only if all your troops cross the Yangtze River safely, I can be regarded as a complete merit, now it is only highlighting the first line of defense of the national army, I think once the national army finds that your department has broken out, it is certain to encircle and chase and intercept, and your department still has to be prepared to fight a tough battle and a vicious battle." ”

Ye Ting heard Wang Haitao say this, his face became serious, and he said to Wang Haitao: "General Wang is right, I am a little relaxed. After speaking, he turned his head to Deputy Commander Chen Yi beside him and said, "Old Chen, pass on my order, the whole army will strengthen vigilance and move to the direction of Anqing at full speed." Chen Yi responded: "Yes, military commander." Turning around to convey the order, Wang Haitao also said to Ye Ting: "Commander Ye, there are my people answering not far ahead, I'll rush over to take a look first." ”

After Ye Ting nodded, Wang Haitao led a few of his subordinates to speed up to the front. There will be a burst of gunfire from time to time along the way, and the soldiers of the New Fourth Army will also tacitly respond with a burst of gunfire, when Wang Haitao caught up with the second detachment led by Huang Yuting, Huang Guizhong and the team have already contacted Huang Yuting. As soon as Huang Guizhong saw Wang Haitao coming over, he hurriedly greeted him and saluted, and then said: "Military seat, our department is here to meet the brothers of the New Fourth Army, and the 170th Division is very cooperative with us, and there is no abnormal situation. ”

After returning the military salute, Wang Haitao said: "Okay! Now you immediately send a reconnaissance group to search and advance in the southwest direction, and you must send more people to expand the search area and be careful of the interception of several other divisions of the national army." Huang Guizhong replied: "My subordinates understand, and we will arrange it immediately. After speaking, he turned around and conveyed Wang Haitao's order. Wang Haitao then led the troops and Huang Yuting's second detachment to rush towards the southwest.

The troops walked all night, and when the sky was slightly bright, they left the boundary of Jing County and re-entered the boundary of Taiping County. Along the way, Wang Haitao was always nervous, for fear that he would encounter the encirclement of the Kuomintang troops, but fortunately, all the good news came back from the reconnaissance troops, and there was indeed no movement. A one-night march was nothing to Wang Haitao, but the non-combatants of the New Fourth Army were a little unbearable, so Wang Haitao could only choose a quiet valley and let the troops rest first.

Nearly 20,000 horses filled the entire valley, and after setting up a guard post, Wang Haitao looked at the tired appearance of the soldiers of the New Fourth Army and knew that it would be impossible to continue advancing in a short time. Fortunately, they had left the boundary of Jing County, and the Kuomintang army just wanted to encircle it, and I was afraid that they would have to find out the movements of the New Fourth Army first. Regarding the next marching route, Wang Haitao felt that it was necessary to discuss with Commander Ye Ting, so he took Huang Guizhong to Commander Ye Ting.

The New Fourth Army broke out of the encirclement overnight, and this news made General Gu Zhutong, the commander of the Third Theater who was responsible for commanding the encirclement and suppression of the New Fourth Army, burst into a rage, and when he called Xu Qiming, the commander of the 170th Division, and wanted to ask the division for guilt, Xu Qiming said to Gu Zhutong: " Commander Gu, the encirclement you have arranged has always focused on the northeast direction, and only four regiments of our 170th Division are stationed in the southwest direction, and at night there are a large number of communist guerrillas and the encircled New Fourth Army should be combined with the outside and attack our department inside and outside. ”

Xu Qiming's words really blocked Gu Zhutong, Gu Zhutong always believed that once the New Fourth Army broke through, it would either break through in the direction of Liyang or Tongling, and would never break through in the direction of Anqing in the southwest, so the two main divisions of the two Central Army were arranged in these two directions, and the other main division was also arranged in the direction of the New Fourth Army fleeing back to Tunxi.

There is obviously something wrong with this arrangement, plus the 170th Division and the 171st Division are the main divisions of the Gui Department, and if they want to deal with Xu Qiming, I am afraid that Li and Bai will not be able to explain it. After thinking about it for a long time, Gu Zhutong could only endure this breath and said to Xu Qiming: "Okay, I won't hold your department accountable for your failure to block the attack, and now I order your department to immediately pursue the fleeing New Fourth Army, as long as you can catch up with the fleeing New Fourth Army, even if your subordinates have made up for it." ”

Xu Qiming also knew that although Gu Zhutong couldn't do anything to himself, he still didn't dare to openly disobey the military order, so he could only take the order, go back to reorganize the troops, and pursue the New Fourth Army, but the southwest direction is full of mountains and dense forests, and it is difficult to say whether he can catch up or not. After Xu Qiming left, Gu Zhutong immediately mobilized his troops and prepared to encircle the New Fourth Army again.

Gu Zhutong was mobilizing troops and reprimanding generals, preparing to encircle and flee the New Fourth Army again, and the New Fourth Army finally recovered some of its spirits after a half-day rest in the valley. Wang Haitao also discussed with Ye Ting and the others and determined the next marching route, which was to pass through Taiping County, pass through Qingyang County to reach the Guichi area, and then find a safe place in the Guichi area to cross the Yangtze River.

After lunch, all the personnel continued to hurry, Taiping County was originally the sphere of influence of the New Fourth Army, and the troops in Taiping County did not have to worry too much about encountering the encirclement of the main force of the Kuomintang, so the troops moved through the territory of Taiping County with a relatively relaxed attitude. At 10 o'clock in the evening, the second detachment, which served as the vanguard, came to the town of Zhubei on the border between Taiping County and Qingyang County, and according to the report of Wang Haitao's reconnaissance group, there was a company of Nationalist troops stationed in Zhubei Town.

After this period of marching, Wang Haitao also saw that the quality of the combat units of the New Fourth Army was not bad, mainly because the huge non-fighting troops and those wounded were dragging their feet, and that they should find a place to let the people of the New Fourth Army rest well tonight, and tomorrow they will pass through Qingyang County, where the main force of the National Army is stationed, and only with the fully rested New Fourth Army can they have the energy to quickly pass through the boundary of Qingyang County.

Considering this, Wang Haitao decided to capture Zhubei Town and let the troops spend the night in the town. Wang Haitao called Feng Zisheng and Wei Changxing to his side, and now the people of the reconnaissance company are basically sent out, and there are only four reconnaissance groups in the team, so Wang Haitao asked Feng Zisheng to lead the guard company to attack Zhubei Town, and Wei Changxing led four reconnaissance teams to assist Feng Zisheng.

With the strength of the guard company and the assistance of dozens of scouts, taking Zhu Beizhen, which was garrisoned by only one company of national troops, did not take much effort for Feng Zisheng and them. The two who accepted the order tidied up the team and left the main unit with their troops. Wang Haitao waited outside Zhubei Town for less than an hour, and a scout came back to report that the troops had taken Zhubei Town.

After taking Zhubei Town, the matter was simple, and then the whole army was stationed in Zhubei Town, and after entering Zhubei Town, everyone was busy looking for a place to settle the troops. Zhubei Town is not very large, and nearly 20,000 horses came in at once, and the town suddenly became crowded. The New Fourth Army also had a policy of not disturbing the people, so it was busy until 12 o'clock before the troops were roughly allowed to stay.

In the busyness, no one noticed that the two black shadows secretly escaped from Zhubei Town by night. After escaping from Zhubei Town, these two black shadows desperately ran towards Qingyang County, twenty kilometers away. Wang Haitao also didn't expect that under the negligence of the hundred secrets, people fled from Zhubei Town, which added a lot of trouble to the actions behind the troops.