Just the second day after Zhao Zhenzhong and Zhou Mingyuan finalized the adjustment plan, on October 19, Li Zongren's troops abandoned the Laohekou position and moved westward through Wudang Mountain to Zhushan, and then through Zhuxi to Pingli in southern Shaanxi, and retreated to northeastern Sichuan. {Book friends uploaded and updated}

Since the 15th, 58th and 60th third divisions of the Japanese army on the Laohekou line had received an order to meet with Tobashi's troops on the north, the Japanese army did not pursue Li Zongren's troops entering the mountainous areas. The retreat of the troops in the fifth zone was not only harassed by Japanese aviation forces, but also smooth sailing.

In contrast, Tang Enbo's troops, who retreated westward from Nanyang almost at the same time, were not so lucky. On the way to advance westward, not only were the Japanese Tuqiao troops crossing between Lu's and Xichuan, but behind them, there were also the 3rd and 40th divisions of the 11th Army, who were ordered to go west to meet with Tuqiao at one time.

There were wolves in front and tigers in the back, and Tang Enbo's troops and his rank were also nervous. Fortunately, in terms of time, Tang Enbo's troops walked in front and evacuated Nanyang before the Tuqiao troops encircled for one time, and then passed through Zhenping and Shifo Temple toward Chimei City upstream of the Tuohe River.

According to the plan scheduled by Tang Enbo, the department will take a break in Chimei City and cross the river from the upper Xishui River before discovering his whereabouts at Tuqiao's headquarters. Then choose Zhuyang Pass and Xiping to force the blockade line to enter Shangnan Mountain District, southern Shaanxi.

In order to avoid the reconnaissance and harassment of Japanese aviation troops during the day, Tang Enbo ordered his troops to lie down on the day and walk at night. Because it was mid-ninth month of the lunar calendar, there was moonlight at night. This also made the troops march at night no slower than during the day. Even before arriving at Chimei City, they avoided Japanese aerial reconnaissance and ground pursuit. However, while moving from Chimei City to the northwest, Tang Enbo's troops were discovered by a squadron deployed by the Japanese army in Xixikou, Xishui River.

Although the 3rd and 40th Divisions of the Japanese army followed the Tang army, the mountainous areas were sparsely populated, and the Tang army was hiking at night and clearing their tracks in time. The Japanese army of the 3rd and 40th Divisions only knew that the Tang army was in front, but the specific location and distance were not clear, so there was no question of chasing the Tang army. The Tang army was tracking in the Xixikou area, but provided relatively accurate reference directions for the Japanese soldiers of the two divisions, as well as the Tuqiao army at the first time.

Although Tang Enbo's troops were almost wiped out, the battle exposed the location of Tang's troops. After learning the news, Tuqiao was overjoyed. While as the commander of the southwestern Henan battle, he urgently ordered the 3rd and 40th Divisions of the 11th Army, who were traveling across Shifo Temple to the Nei Township, to pursue them at the same time, while personally leading the 15th, 58th and 60th Divisions from Laohekou to the north, and the troops of the headquarters to advance north quickly, hoping to block all channels to southern Shaanxi with heavy troops before Tang Enbo's troops!

"In the Battle of Xixikou, although a Japanese squadron was destroyed, our troops' whereabouts could not be concealed! It is certain that not only the 3rd and 40th divisions behind us are chasing, but even if we meet the Tuqiao on the north side of the three divisions, we must be rushing forward to our troops, intending to encircle and annihilate our troops!" In the Dinghe area northwest of Xixikou, Tang Enbo said to several commanders under his command with a serious expression, "If we want to move into southern Shaanxi in time according to the orders of the commission, our troops must forcibly break through its blockade line before the Japanese troops siege and advance westward!

Time is tight now. It is too late to choose the weak position of the enemy. I decided to go through Chongyangdian and advance to the nearest Xiping! The 13th Army is responsible for the strong attack in the front, the 85th Army is responsible for cutting off the rear, Chen Daqing, your 29th Army must support both sides at any time!

In addition, the artillery directly under the group army, as well as all the mortars of the 29th Army and the 13th Army, are under the command of Shijue. Be sure to open the passage to advance west as soon as possible!

After you go back, tell the brothers below that there is Xishui River behind us and Qi River in front. If you don’t make dumplings by the Japanese, you can only fight with your back and open a bloody road!”

Although Tang Enbo has been infected with a lot of bad habits in the past year as deputy commander of the First War Zone, he is much better than the original battle between the Henan Zhong and the Central Henan. Although it is forced by the current situation, his gritting teeth seems to have restored his style of the fierce war in Nankou.

Shi Jue, Chen Daqing, Li Chuying and other three commanders also knew that the current situation was related to life and death. They all responded with their orders and returned to the army to prepare for their trip.

"Commander, if we don't go to Xiping, we go north to Funiu Mountain first, and wait for the main Japanese army to move forward, will it be easier?" After the three of us left, Zhang Xuezhong couldn't help but sigh, "War on the back, the situation is too dangerous!"

"Unless our troops go to Funiu Mountain, it will not be easier than now!" Tang Enbo smiled bitterly and shook his head, and said, "If it was expected, Tuqiao would meet at one time to attack our 3rd and 40th Divisions on the Tanghe line before, plus the three divisions of Li Zongren's army in Laohekou and the troops of Tuhashimama, the Japanese army will have seven divisions in the southwest of Henan! With our troops in the current state, let alone seven divisions, it is just a Japanese army in one division. As long as we are prepared, we can stop us by guarding with danger! Our troops' current hope is that the Japanese troops do not respond in time, and there is no more than one regiment in Xiping!"

When Tuqiao's troops appeared in Lu's family, there were only about two divisions. Tang Enbo believed that for the Lu family, the Japanese army should leave no less than two regiments to defend the important areas behind Tuqiao's troops. Tuqiao once led his troops south, originally planning to attack Tang Enbo and Li Zongren's troops, and from this, it was inferred that there would be no less than one division in Xichuan area following Tuqiao in the Xichuan area. In this way, Tuqiao's Japanese troops were deployed in Zhuyang Pass, Xiping, Jingzi Pass and other places at one time only about two regiments. Even if Xiping is a major transportation location connecting western Henan, southern Shaanxi, and northern Hubei, the Japanese army will at most arrange a regiment here! It is precisely based on this estimation that Tang Enbo decided to forcibly break through from Xiping!

After listening to Tang Enbo's analysis, Zhang Xuezhong felt a little more relaxed and said with a smile: "If the enemy army in Xiping only has one corps, then we might be able to eat it in one bite! Now it depends on which of us and the Japanese will act faster!"

The luck of Tang Enbo and others was really hard to say. The enemy in Xiping was not one wing, but two brigades. This made Shi Jue spend a lot of effort when forcing a breakthrough. But just as Tang Enbo's troops broke through Xiping and were turning towards southern Shaanxi, the Japanese troops stationed in Jingzi Pass rushed over and launched an attack on Li Chuying's troops, the 85th Army responsible for the breaking of the rear. Before Li Chuying's troops got rid of the Japanese army, the main force of the 32nd Division came up from Xichuan under the command of the division commander Ishii Kasui.

Although Tang Enbo's army finally got rid of the 32nd Division of the Japanese army and arrived in Shangnan, southern Shaanxi on the 28th, after being attacked by the enemy and forced to escape the Japanese army by cutting off the tail to survive, the Li Chuying's army, who was responsible for cutting off the rear, had only less than 40% of the troops left, including the wounded, and the losses were heavy. Even Shi Jue's 13th Army and Chen Daqing's 29th Army basically lost nearly half. Tang Enbo's army, as the elite elite of Chiang Kai-shek's direct line, was completely crippled. In addition, the officers and soldiers of the army fought for nearly two months and were already exhausted. In this state, even if they arrived in southern Shaanxi, it would be difficult to participate in the subsequent battles.

In fact, if Hu Zongnan had not sent Wang Longji to lead the 167th Division of the 1st Army to station in southern Shaanxi in advance and deployed defenses from Shangnan to Wuguan, even if Tang Enbo's troops entered southern Shaanxi, they would have been unable to avoid another fierce battle with the Japanese army that followed. Tang Enbo and his defeated generals had escaped from Shengtian, while the war on the Longhai line in the north had entered the most intense time.

After Luoyang fell, three divisions and a chariot cluster commanded by the first station of Yoshimuzhen were engaged in a fierce attack on the Hangu Pass line with the cooperation of the aviation force. Faced with the repeated fierce attacks launched by the Japanese army with their military strength and firepower advantages, the Sun Tongxuan's troops of the Third Army, who were responsible for guarding the Hangu Pass line and Li Wen's troops of the 90th Army of the 34th Army could only grit their teeth and hold on. However, on the 26th, Tuqiao's troops headed north from the Lu family and joined the attack on the Hangu Pass line from the south. Especially after the Japanese troops of this unit crossed the river from the upper reaches of Hongnongjian and attacked the defenders from the side, it was difficult for Sun Tongxuan and Li Wen's troops to persist, so they had to hurriedly retreat to defend the township and defend with Dong Zhao's troops of the 16th Army deployed there.

The early retreat of Sun and Li's troops made Hu Zongnan, deputy commander of the Eighth War Zone who arrived in Tongguan and was responsible for the war ahead, very dissatisfied. Fortunately, Li Wen's troops were under his command, and the war ahead was tight, and the Japanese troops and firepower did have an advantage. Hu Zongnan did not attack, just to be worried at most.

After Tuqiao met with five divisions from the 11th and 13th armies at one time, its troops increased to seven divisions. However, because he left two divisions to attack southern Shaanxi and maintain the rear passage, only five divisions joined the front line of Hangu Pass. In addition to the troops of Yoshimu Shin-jun, the Japanese army invested eight divisions and a chariot cluster from the front line of Hangu Pass to Tongguan, as well as more than half of the strength of the 1st Flying Regiment.

With such troops as Hu Zongnan and Sun Tongxuan, there is no chance of winning. However, the transfer of the cans and cans in Guanzhong takes time. Hu Zongnan could only urge Zhu Shaoliang, Xiong Bin and others to speed up the moving speed. While ordering his troops to persist at the Tongguan line. At the same time, Hu Zongnan also sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, hoping that Chongqing could urge Yan Xishan to join the front line of Tongguan to fight, even if it was just a river to shell the Japanese side and back.

The front line of Tongguan is in a critical situation, and the People's Party, which has always been concerned about the relevant war situation, did not issue any high-profile statements on this. Zhao Zhenzhong only issued an order to the People's Army and Guards in case of action at any time. The Chongqing authorities were worried about the situation on the front line of Tongguan. Chiang Kai-shek was worried that the family wealth accumulated in the Eighth War Zone in recent years would not be too late to transport the Japanese army, and he was also worried that Hu Zongnan, the direct line of the direct line, would suffer too much and would be unfavorable to the future. The top leaders were eager to countermeasures about the possible problems caused by the loss of Tongguan and the Japanese army entering Guanzhong.

"According to the reliable news sent back by our comrades working in Xi'an, although the Chongqing authorities shouted the slogan of "Decisive War of Resistance", the Eighth War Zone and the Shaanxi Provincial Government organized personnel and materials to retreat to southern Shaanxi and northern Sichuan. Among them, the Eighth War Zone also formulated a plan to "give out of Guanzhong, retreat to southern Shaanxi, and use the Japanese army to weaken the People's Party and **." Ye Jianying, who had returned to northern Shaanxi and served as the chief of staff of the ** Military Commission, gave a brief introduction to the relevant situation, and said, "The People's Party is now strong and strong. The Japanese army may not dare to provoke westward after a long war. However, our Party's border area is located on the flank of the Japanese army's march into Xi'an, and the main force is far away in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei-Hebei-Hebei-Hebei-Hebei-Hebei-Hebei-Hebei-The Japanese army is very likely to attack Xi'an while dividing troops to north and attack our border base! We must be prepared to welcome the enemy as soon as possible!"

Xiong Xianghui, the deputy officer and confidential secretary of Hu Zongnan, was an intelligence officer of the **. With the convenience of work, all the confidential information Hu Zongnan came into contact with can be seen in most cases. Just before following Hu Zongnan to Tongguan, Xiong Xianghui had ordered the Eighth War Zone to be retreated and sent the information that the disaster was brought out through relevant channels to the location of ** in northern Shaanxi.

"This Chiang Kai-shek, hundreds of thousands of troops in the First World War Zone were beaten by the Japanese, and Tongguan was in danger now. It was now, and he was still thinking about playing tricks!" Zhang Wentian, secretary of the Secretariat and Minister of the Propaganda Department, commented angrily, and reminded Ren Bishi who was sitting aside, "Comrade Bishi, it seems that our border area is also going to organize a moving!"

"I'm not afraid of moving, but it's a little more trouble." Ren Bishi, who was then the secretary-general of the Politburo and responsible for leading the border government, smiled indifferently and asked Ye Jianying, "Can you confirm the time for Zhu Shaoliang and Hu Zongnan to abandon Tongguan and Xi'an? Just move, then you can feel more confident if you grasp the time."

"It's not easy to determine the time." Ye Jianying shook his head and explained, "It depends on the speed of Xiong Bin's moving house and when the Japanese army can take Tongguan. This is not entirely determined by the Eighth War Zone."

"It is appropriate to prepare for the transfer in some places near Guanzhong in the border area as soon as possible, but other places do not seem to have to make a big fuss. Besides, where can we move in northern Shaanxi?" Lao Mao frowned and twisted the cigarette butts in his hand, and then analyzed, "With our strength in northern Shaanxi, it is not enough to fight head-on with the Japanese heavy army group, but don't forget. There is also a strong neighbor in the west who claims to be publicly tried by the Emperor! It is certain that with the style of the People's Party's armed forces, Zhao Zhenzhong will never sit idly by and watch the Japanese devils rage in Guanzhong! What we should do now is to mobilize all the forces that can be used in northern Shaanxi, and take advantage of the favorable opportunity of the People's Army's eastward entry into Guanzhong and the Japanese army to fight, and prepare to shoot down the water dog!"

After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the main armed forces of the ** army entered the Shanxi battlefield to fight against the war, and retained a left-behind corps in northern Shaanxi led by Xiao Jinguang, Cao Lihuai and others, with a force of about 15,000. Although this unit lacks heavy weapons such as artillery, most commanders at all levels have experienced many years of war experience. Mobile warfare and guerrilla warfare are rich in experience. Taking advantage of the Japanese's defeat, it is not a problem to expand their territory and get some oil and water from the remaining defeated generals.

"It is no problem for the left-behind corps to beat the dogs in the water. However, if the People's Army advances eastward and our army goes south, what if the two sides get friction?" Ye Jianying raised his own doubts. "Not to mention the territory, the People's Party will not talk to us about the handling of Japanese prisoners of war alone!"

"There is a way to solve this!" Zhu De, secretary of the Secretariat and commander-in-chief of the 18th Army, smiled, "It's still our old method when we were in the Soviet area, luring the enemy deeper and annihilated the enemy. After the evacuation work was done in the southern part of the border area, we led the Japanese army north to the north to "push the mill" in the ditches and troughs of northern Shaanxi. When the People's Army enters Guanzhong and the Japanese army is eager to retreat, we will have another 'enemies retreat and we will chase us'!"

"The boss said it's right!" Lao Mao lit another cigarette, took a deep breath, and said leisurely, "In fact, as long as the People's Party can drive the Japanese army out of Guanzhong, we will take a big advantage. In other aspects, there is no need to be petty with the other party! Don't forget that the border government does not have much wealth to solve the problem of disaster victims and refugees after the Japanese invasion."

Since Hu Zongnan entered Guanzhong to strictly block the border government, ** has not saved any money in recent years. When the Japanese army entered Guanzhong, there would definitely be many victims and refugees flocked to the border government. At that time, it would be a trivial matter for Lao Mao and others to go hungry together. Many victims and refugees cannot survive this winter and next spring famine, which would be a big problem for life! Once the People's Party enters Guanzhong, with its past style, at least the disaster victims and refugees can be safe this winter.

Last time the Taiyue base was troubled by the disaster victims, ** negotiated with the People's Party and finally properly solved the relevant problems with the principle of "the fleeing family to the northwest, and the single young and strong rely on their own voluntary". ** therefore obtained a considerable amount of daily necessities such as food, cloth, salt from the People's Party. This also made Lao Mao and others deeply understand the differences between the People's Party and the Chongqing authorities, and believed that there was a possibility of further cooperation with the Party on some issues.

"In addition, we must also see that half of the Japanese troops in North China have been invested in the Henan-Shaanxi area. Once the People's Army attacks Guanzhong, Zhao Zhenzhong will probably not miss the opportunity to take action against North China!" Lao Mao paused for a moment and continued, "Although we lack reliable intelligence in the northwest, after the relationship between the People's Party and the Soviet Union eased, the main force of the People's Army will never remain in Xinjiang and Outer Mongolia! In the Shandong direction, even if the guards were deeply troubled by resettlement of victims and food shortages, the Ministry has controlled the existing area for nearly four years and has passed the deadline for the People's Party to reduce taxes. I think it should have accumulated some wealth. If the People's Party really takes action against North China, it is a favorable opportunity for our Party to take the opportunity to expand its base! At that time, bases such as Shanxi, Chahar, Hebei, and Taiyue can take the opportunity to expand vigorously outside!"

"It is indeed possible!" Ye Jianying nodded in agreement and suggested, "I think we can send a call to General Peng and the main divisions ahead. As long as the People's Party armed forces hold an action in North China, our army will launch an attack on the Pinghan Line, and at least control the area west of the line!"

"It's true!" Zhu De smiled, "But, in this way, North China will enter the counterattack period early!"

"In many cases, practice will exceed our expectations." Lao Mao nodded and said meaningfully, "After the fall of Wuhan and Guangzhou, the War of Resistance entered a stalemate stage. However, from stalemate to counterattack, it was previously limited to domestic reality and could not be determined. If the People's Party armed forces marched into Guanzhong and marched into North China, it means that the War of Resistance has kicked off the strategic counterattack! Although this prelude was not started by us personally, we must participate in it and contribute our strength to the liberation of the country and the nation! This is not only related to our current development and growth, but also to the domestic political situation after the war! We must mobilize all the forces that can be mobilized and devote all our strength!" To be continued..


Chapter completed!