Early the next morning, Chen Yi arrived at the combat office, explained to the commanders the battle plan for picking Xinggu, and then took the guards to Hutaoyu. Before getting on the horse, he instructed Du Ning to hurry.

Du Ning hurriedly ate breakfast and went on the road. Turning from the trail to the road, I saw Chen Yi's three horses from a distance, trotting forward in front. The horse's hooves raise a yellow mist.

From far and near, the sound of airplane motors could be heard. Du Ning put his hand on the pergola, and looked up to the sky, it was a mosquito type.

He immediately jumped into a ditch on the side of the road. Two mosquito planes brushed the treetops, casting huge black shadows on the road and sliding past at high speed. There was a sound behind him that tore through the air. The plane reached the top of the three horses, and a string of fireballs burst out from its armpits, and when it raised its head upward, it threw two more black balls, and the rising plume of smoke immediately engulfed the three horses. Strafing and explosions were heard.

Du Ning shouted in his heart, "Commander! His eyes were fixed on the place where the smoke was rising.

A gust of wind blew, and the smoke and dust moved northwest and dispersed. Through the veil of light veil, I saw the three horses leisurely and unhurriedly strolling forward. Dunin wiped the sweat from his head.

The plane circled half a circle from southwest to northwest, and then plunged down again, chasing the three horses along the road. Seeing that the propeller touched the horse's tail, the three horses seemed to hear a command, turned their heads in unison, and ran towards the plane. In the blink of an eye, one up and down and the plane staggered by. Then they stopped with another thud and turned their heads to see where they had turned. At this moment, the shells that poured down from the plane were blaring, exploding white fireballs on the way they ran. Then, two more bombs exploded a little earlier, and the smoke and dust once again blocked the view ahead.

The three horses took an unhurried step into the smoke. By the time the smoke cleared again, there were no horses left on the road. I saw that in the ravine that bent to the east, a string of brown shadows flashed between the green gauze tents.

Du Ning jumped up and got off the road where Chen Yi turned into the ravine. After passing a stream, he washed his face, drank enough in his hand, and then walked through the walnut forest where the horse's baggage was hidden, and climbed to the top of Hutaoyu Mountain.

At the top of the mountain, it is a big stone rock called "Gu" by the people of Yimeng Mountain. There is a regimental command post in the stone cave under the Guxia. However, only one staff officer and one communicator were on duty. The regiment commander followed Chen Yi to the forward position. The staff officer gave a briefing on the current state of the war. To the south, there is a chair-backed hillside. At the end of the handrail on the left is a hill protruding, which is the 300 highland. The handrail on the right extends much farther, halfway into the middle of the river. There are half-collapsed brick towers. The base of the tower is on four sides, one side is connected to the back of the chair, and three sides are cliffs. From the left armrest to the right armrest, four bowstring-shaped lines of defense are opened.

The trench on the bottom beach had been taken by the enemy yesterday. The second line of fortifications was between the river beach and the 300 highlands, along the foot of the mountain. In order to shorten the front and concentrate our forces, we took the initiative to withdraw from there before dawn. The enemy did not occupy it either, and now it became a vacuum between the two armies. Our most important line of defense is this fortification, which starts from the 300 heights. The line is filled with real and fake bunkers, machine-gun emplacements, and one-man bunkers. Behind it was an artillery position, and through the trees you could hear the laughter of the soldiers and the metal crash caused by the grinding of the cannons.

Du Ning didn't have the heart to rest any longer, so he thanked the staff officer and continued to move forward. Find Captain Chen Yi and his party on the west side of the 300 Heights and join the ranks of more than ten people. Chen Yi, accompanied by the cadres of the battalion and regiment, stopped and stopped. One moment he stood down and looked at the enemy position with binoculars, and the other he chatted with the soldiers who were reinforcing the fortifications. Some of the trenches are not deep, the heads will be exposed to the horizon, and the enemy will often shoot cold. Chen Yi walked unhurriedly with his chest held up, and the accompanying cadres exchanged anxious glances from time to time.

Zhang Debiao discovered Du Ning. Hurriedly came over, shook Du Ning's arm and asked, "Why are you here?" Where are all the comrades on the team? ”

Dunin replied one by one, and congratulated him on his promotion to battalion commander.

"Ya Ya Wu!" He made a gesture of helplessness.

They came to a T-shaped intersection. A few soldiers were sitting in the shade wiping guns and smoking, and when they saw them coming, they were about to stand up and salute, but Chen Yi waved his hand and told everyone to sit still. The warriors sat down again. Some slipped their eyes at the commander, some lowered their heads, and no one said a word.

"Comrade Regiment Commander." Chen Yi stood down and pretended to be surprised and asked, "Why did you bring all our soldiers like this, and winning a battle is like losing two hundred dollars?" ”

The regiment commander was not sure how to answer, when a short, Hunan-accented soldier stood up and said, "Don't be sarcastic, boss. If you criticize a few words, we feel better. We have suffered defeat! ”

"Which one said you lost the battle?" Chen Yi said, "This is strange. The day before yesterday, I gave you the task of guarding this Hutaoyu. At that time you were two battalions of men, and the enemy on the opposite side was a regiment! Today, I will take a look, you have only left less than one battalion of men, and the enemy has increased to two regiments, but you are still guarding on Hutaoyu! And those whom you were sent out guarded another hill. You've done twice as many tasks as I did, is that a win or a defeat? I'm also a bit of a nonsense. ”

Some of the fighters laughed. But the Hunan soldiers stubbornly said: "We have withdrawn two lines of defense!" ”

"What's the big deal about that? We are an army, and we are not pawns on the chessboard, we are only allowed to advance but not retreat. If you lose the defense line and get it back, that's a! I came today knowing that you would get it back. ”

Speaking of this, a soldier with a northern Jiangsu accent asked embarrassedly: "When can we fight out?" ”

"That's up to you." Chen Yi said, "Without you, I would be a bare-bones commander!" You fight better, and we will leave the Yimeng Mountains sooner. Speaking of this, he saw several warriors around him wearing old mountain shoes with hook heads. Just said: "You comrades who joined the army in Yimeng Mountain, I'm afraid that you won't be in a hurry to fight out, right?" ”

A bearded warrior said: "We are more anxious! After half a year of fighting, there is not even a formal house left in the mountains! Planting crops is not taking advantage of the solar terms. The villagers saved food for us to eat, and they nibbled on the grits and elm skin pancakes, and went out a day earlier, so the villagers breathed a sigh of relief! ”

Chen Yi said: "That's right! We can't keep using our halls as a showcase! Let's go and stab him in the jars! In this way, you will guard this position for me until twelve o'clock in the middle of the night, and I will promise to hit Yimeng Mountain within ten days! Some people will say, how can you, the boss, be so decisive when you speak? I'm the decision! Which doesn't believe us to bet! As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to make a gesture of high-five with whom, "Which one is coming?" ”

Between the talks, there were already many people around. On behalf of everyone, the instructor said: "The people are in the position, and they will resolutely hold Hutaoyu." ”

Chen Yi nodded and said, "You have to have this determination." Let me tell you, Mao ** is now standing in front of the map, looking at our palm-sized Hu Taoyu! Whether we can quickly fight Yimeng Mountain depends on whether we can eat the 149th Division that picks Xinggu; Whether we can eat the 149th Division depends on whether our Hutaoyu can block the enemy's reinforcements! ”

The soldiers said: "You send a telegram and tell Mao ** to rest assured, our wall is made of iron and steel." ”

"Hey, this is like our soldiers!" Chen Yi waved his hand happily and continued to walk forward. They came to a bunker on the 300th Heights, where there was a small patio camouflaged with tree branches. Boiling water has been prepared. Everyone sat down to rest, and the regiment commander took the opportunity to ask Zhang Debiao to report their battle plan.

Zhang Debiao said that there is a half-section of the tower, the cliff on three sides, and only one fishback passage is connected to the 300 highland defense line, and once the passage is broken, it will become an isolated island. So we didn't fortify there, and the enemy reconnoitred twice except for fire, and had no intention of capturing it. Before dawn today, we secretly sent two heavy machine guns and a few 60 guns to ambush there. Their task was to wait until the enemy launched an attack on our 300 heights and the infantry approached our front line, and then they would shoot from the enemy's flank and rear, attacking from both sides, without worrying about the enemy not retreating.

Chen Yi thought for a while and said, "This method is quite good, but unfortunately it can only be used once!" Next time, the enemy will concentrate on cutting off the back of the fish and getting rid of that fulcrum. At that time, more enemies will cross the river to join the battle. Didn't you just notice that several of the enemies on the river beach were using binoculars to observe the surface of the river? They're going to send more people across the river! ”

The regimental commander said that we would crush the enemy's charge once according to the above plan, and it would be afternoon. He organized another assault on the back of the fish, and it was already sunset. If you want to attack the 300 heights again, you have to do it after dark. In the night battle, one of us can withstand five of him. Fight out all your strength, and keep it until dawn. It's time for the battle to come to an end.

Chen Yi believes that this plan is too sacrificial, and it is not conducive to getting rid of the enemy after completing the mission. He asked, "You have two companies, right?" ”

The regiment commander said: "Actually, there are five platoons, plus an artillery company. ”

"Put a platoon of infantry, with artillery coordination, the enemy on this side of the river will come to attack, can you hold it for a few minutes?"

Zhang Debiao said: "You can keep it for 40 minutes to an hour. ”

"Is it unstable in half an hour?"

The regiment commander said: "With such good fortifications, it is definitely not a problem!" ”

"Good! Then you have a whole company! Can't a company of people make something famous in half an hour? Don't just kick up your ass and get beaten, think about beating people too! Do you estimate how many men they still have to defend the river beach positions after the enemy's attack on the 300 heights? ”

Zhang Debiao said: "Judging from yesterday's situation, there will be at most one company. ”

Chen Yi said: "Suppose that at the beginning of the battle, your company was ambushed at the foot of Pagoda Mountain, and after the enemy approached the 300 heights, this company suddenly attacked his river beach position and caught him by surprise, what would happen?" After occupying the river beach, and then relying on the fortifications, and our troops on the 300 heights to flank the enemy, can he still bear it? Two rows of people on the 300 heights should not have a problem holding on to occupy the river beach, right? ”

"If you can move to the bottom of the pagoda mountain, it won't be a problem." The head of the regiment looked at Zhang Debiao for a while, and then stopped talking.

An imperceptible smile crossed Chen Yi's face. Seeing that they didn't talk any further, he said, "I think you'll consider this plan." Having a skull on your shoulders isn't just for wearing a hat, is it? ”

The regiment commander said: "Battalion Commander Zhang proposed this plan, but I vetoed it. ”

Zhang Debiao said: "Because I couldn't mention the passage to the bottom of the hill, the head of the regiment vetoed it. I sent someone to reconnoitre, but there was really no way down from Pagoda Mountain. The bottom of the river is rocky, and if you jump hard, you will break it. And as soon as it plops, the enemy will immediately notice it. ”

Chen Yi said: "You have considered it very comprehensively, especially the comrades of the regiment commander, and the veto is very reasonable. ”

He took two sips of the water bowl, his eyes flashed with a sly spark, and he glanced at Zhang Debiao. Zhang Debiao was vigilant, knowing that the boss was going to write his article.

Chen Yi asked unhurriedly: "Xiao Yang, at the beginning of the year, we came here to camp, which team did we pick up?" ”

Zhang Debiao said, "It's coming!" He replied, "We'll even give you a place to live!" ”

"When you were stationed here, did you see the terrain near the brick tower?"

“……。”

"There's no hostile situation, and it's very busy, don't look at it!" After Chen Yi finished learning Zhang Debiao's tone, he asked with a smile: "Yes, I didn't ask you to be wronged, right?" ”

Zhang Debiao just laughed and didn't say anything.

"Good!" Chen Yi said, "If I give you a guide and a passage, can that plan be completed?" ”

The head of the regiment and Zhang Debiao both smiled and hurriedly said: "Chief, as long as there is a road, we will definitely complete the task." ”

"Okay, I'll give you a greeting gift, so that you won't be welcome next time." Chen Yi turned around and shouted, "Xiao Yang, you go and be a guide for Camp Commander Zhang, lead his team to the foot of Pagoda Mountain, occupy the river beach, and then come back!" ”

Xiao Yang agreed. There was a roar in the air, and a succession of three shells swept through the trench and exploded more than a hundred meters behind. The sound of airplanes was also heard in the sky.

The regiment commander said: "Comrade guards just draw a road map for us, there is no need to go in person." The enemy is about to attack, so please go back with confidence. ”

"Huh! Accept the gift and rush the guests? How can this be true? I'm not going anywhere! ”

"Then ask the commander to go to the summit headquarters."

"Why did you drive me away? Am I hindering you from fighting? ”

The head of the regiment looked at Zhang Debiao. Zhang Debiao plucked up the courage and said: "Report to the army commander, you are a little in the way here!" He didn't dare to mention the word "unsafe".

"Play the piano indiscriminately! What am I doing in the way? ”

"You are squatting here, we are commanding the battle, please ask you? Please, to be honest, you don't need to be in charge of such a small battlefield. And asking for instructions on everything also delays work. Don't ask for instructions, with the superior head here, how can the subordinate commander be the master himself? ”

"I didn't ask you to ask me everything! As soon as I came, I made it clear that you will fight by yourself, and I will not come to command on your behalf, and second, I will not come to supervise the formation......"

"Say yes, really do it......"

"Well, I declare that from now on this bunker will be lent to me, and no one will come to me without my orders. Come on, I'm not there either! Xiao Wu, give me the chess pieces! Xiao Wu took out a bag of chess pieces and a folded chessboard from his satchel, Chen Yi took it, bowed down into the bunker, and shouted inside: "Comrade Du Ning, come and be a companion!" I want to avenge the revenge of those two sons last night. ”

Seeing that there was no room for negotiation, the head of the regiment had to say, "Let's go." However, comrade guard, you still don't have to go in person, do you? ”

Xiao Yang said: "I will tell you quietly, he planned all this last night. The set of two cows can't be pulled, and it's serious to set off quickly! ”

Walking in the trench, the regiment commander asked Xiao Yang how he knew that there was a road here? Xiao Yang said that last year, when they were stationed here, they went to the top of the pagoda to see the terrain. It was found that there was a dry well behind the tower, and the bottom of the well was connected to the river. The well is very narrow, and people can go down to the bottom of the well by pedaling on both sides of the stone wall. Drill out is the shade behind the mountain. Just go around the foot of the mountain from the river and you will reach the river beach. Chen Yi saw this situation at the time and ordered someone to cover the wellhead with stone slabs, and piled up rubble on top of it. He said: "The more you have a secret of the terrain, the more you can use it against the enemy." The head of the regiment said: "It's too coincidental, but I will use it today." Zhang Debiao said: "It's not a coincidence. As early as Luo Xiao Mountain, he taught everyone that when you are a soldier, no matter how tired you are, the first thing you do when you camp is to look at the terrain first. Walk around an area twice and have a living map in your stomach. In this way, the war is well understood. Otherwise, it is often too late to reconnoiter the terrain when there is a situation. This time I suffered a lazy loss again, and I was happy to meet him today, and I didn't scold! Everyone laughed.

The regiment commander asked Zhang Debiao, which company are you going to send? Zhang Debiao said: "You don't need a company, give me two rows of people, and I'll bring them personally." I'll leave it to the head of the regiment. The boss is on the position, and it is safer to leave an extra platoon. ”

The regiment commander asked: "Are you enough to bring two platoons?" ”

"A platoon can also complete the task, which is already double insurance. Collect all the sabers on the battlefield and give them to me! Raised by a son of a bitch, I won't kill him with a knife to see red, and I won't come back to see the boss! ”

Zhang Debiao and Xiao Yang sorted out the team and set off towards the brick tower. The regiment commander and the instructor walked through the entire trench separately and explained to the soldiers one by one: "You must hold your position!" Mr. Chen Yi is on our position! This simple sentence is like a fire that boils the heroic blood of every warrior. Chen Yi is on the position! This is the call, the guarantee! There is no need to worry about the future, and there is no room for retreat. Be sure to block the enemy in front of Chen Yi. Hutaoyu is insurmountable.