Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

late at night.

A long convoy of cars.

We bumped along the rugged mountain road.

Inside the car, Chu Yunfei leaned back in the back seat with his eyes closed, his face ashen.

The distance from Changzhi to the headquarters of the Sixth Army Group is nearly 600 kilometers.

Under his orders.

They traveled day and night without stopping for a moment.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhao Pengcheng kept turning around to look at his master's face, which was full of anger, and felt uneasy.

He was also a veteran who had followed Chu Yunfei for many years.

It was rare to see Chu Yunfei so angry.

The last time was during the Battle of Yudong, when he faced Gui Yongqing, who deserted his post.

This time, however, it was his most trusted and sworn brother general—Qian Bojun—who angered him.

One of Chu Yunfei's right-hand men, and also a rising star in the War of Resistance against Japan.

Once the evidence in Lin County is conclusive and the matter becomes a big fuss, it will not only be a serious blow to Chu Yunfei's personal reputation, but also a scandal for the entire Flying Tigers group.

Sun Weimou came from a merchant family, but his family members never thought of using their power for personal gain.

Qian Bojun's family was just a small, ordinary household in Linxian County, but now a remarkable person has emerged from their family.
Thinking of this, Chu Yunfei couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

……

Early the next morning.

The Sixth Army Group Headquarters, Operations Conference Room.

Commander-in-Chief Qian Bojun was facing a huge sand table, passionately outlining the upcoming combat mission.

Below.

Those sitting were Liu Zhaotang, Qian Zhaoyou, Zhang Fugui, and others.

The former is from Shandong, a veteran of the Jin Army, and currently serves as the acting commander of the 19th Army.

This is also the only army under the Sixth Army Group.

There used to be a 98th Army, but its designation has long been discontinued.

The General Headquarters plans to adjust the unit designation and assign it to the Eighth Route Army.

The Second World War Zone had no objection to this.

As the most basic strategic unit, the army-level units performed relatively poorly on the North China battlefield.

Chu Yunfei still prefers to use tactical units in combat, starting with key points and using clever tactics to break through the stalemate.

"Although we only provided assists and played a supporting role in this battle, we still need to show our own style."

"Eliminate the enemy's manpower, do not concern yourself with the gains or losses of a single city or place, and try to engage and entangle the Japanese army with battalion and company-level units as much as possible, rather than launching large-scale and sustained offensives."

"All units should make good use of our advantageous terrain, take advantage of the high ground, conduct reconnaissance, and focus on striking Japanese and puppet troops, especially puppet troops, in villages and towns."

"These damn lackeys, the people I hate most in my life are traitors and lackeys."

Just then, with a creak, the heavy wooden door of the conference room was suddenly pushed open.

A tall, imposing figure, covered in dust and chill.

I walked in against the light.

The entire conference room fell silent instantly.

All eyes, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, were immediately focused on the uninvited guest.

"Your Excellency? What brings you here?"

Qian Bojun was stunned when he saw the figure that suddenly appeared in front of him. He could hardly believe his eyes.

Liu Zhaotang, Qian Zhaoyou, Zhang Fugui, Pang Junming, and others were as if they had seen a ghost.

He suddenly stood up from the chair, stammering, unsure of what to say.

The Emperor should be in Changzhi overseeing the overall situation right now, so why did he suddenly come to their side?

Could it be that!
The Battle of Handan was just a pretext, a feint to the east while attacking in the west.

The real target was the main Japanese divisions in the Kinai region.

Chu Yunfei ignored their surprise.

He merely glanced coldly around with his eyes burning with rage, then spoke in an unquestionable tone:
"Military meeting, temporarily suspended."

"Everyone except Bojun, get out."

No one dared to ask any more questions and immediately saluted Chu Yunfei.

Then, he quickly left the conference room and gently closed the door behind him.

For a moment, only Chu Yunfei and Qian Bojun remained in the huge conference room.

The air seemed to freeze.

Looking at Chu Yunfei's gloomy face, which seemed to drip water, Qian Bojun felt an unprecedented sense of fear welling up inside him.

he does not know.

What on earth happened to make this lord, who treated them like brothers, so angry?

He spoke cautiously, wanting to ask, "Your Excellency, what happened?"

"Qian Bojun."

He slowly walked up to Qian Bojun, his eyes fixed on him: "Let me ask you, over the years, have I, Chu Yunfei, ever wronged you in any way?"

Chu Yunfei's voice was icy cold, devoid of any warmth, and he spoke very slowly.

This question left Qian Bojun completely baffled.

But Qian Bojun instinctively stood at attention and replied in a trembling voice, "Your Excellency! What are you saying! You have shown me great kindness and mentorship. During the great war in the Central Plains, you saved my life."

"I'll ask you again!" Chu Yunfei interrupted him, "Over the years, you've followed me from a lowly platoon leader to a battalion commander, a regimental commander, and now!"

"Glory, status, power—have I, Chu Yunfei, ever been stingy with what I can give you?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

A fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped from Qian Bojun's forehead: "Your Excellency's kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain!"

At this moment, Qian Bojun was filled with even greater fear.

In just ten seconds, he had thought through all the bad things he had ever done in his life.

but
It appears that there was nothing that violated national laws or military regulations.

"it is good!"

Chu Yunfei nodded: "Since I have treated you well, then tell me, how have you repaid me?"

Qian Bojun was flustered by the question; he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong.

He suddenly knelt on one knee, his voice even choked with emotion.

"Your Excellency!"

“I, Qian Bojun, swear to God that I have never done anything to betray you.”

"You will always be my leader, and you will always be my elder brother!"

"Just say the word, and I'll go east; I'll never go west! I've already entrusted my life to you!"

What Qian Bojun said came from the bottom of his heart.

He followed Chu Yunfei in battles across the north and south for more than ten years.

This friendship.

It has long transcended the ordinary superior-subordinate relationship.

However, his loyalty only earned him Chu Yunfei's even fiercer rage.

"Brother?"

Chu Yunfei was so angry that he laughed. He slammed his hand on the table, and the loud noise made the whole room buzz.

"You still consider me your older brother?"

"Then when those bastards in your family were using your name to bully men and women and prey on the villagers, where did you put our faces?!"

He slammed the investigation report from Linxian County down in front of Qian Bojun.

"Open your dog eyes and take a good look!"

Qian Bojun was thoroughly scolded and was completely stunned.

With trembling hands, he picked up the report from the ground and looked down at it.

After just one glance, his face turned even paler than a dead man's.

"Forcibly seizing farmland and setting up illegal casinos"

One shocking crime after another, like steel needles, pierced his eyes and his heart.

"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible!"

He muttered to himself, as if he couldn't believe it was true: "Before I left home, I gave instructions that no land should be acquired and no illegal business should be conducted." "Your Excellency, I know nothing about this!"

Qian Bojun raised his head and looked at Chu Yunfei, his eyes filled with shock and pain. "I haven't been home to visit my family for a year."

Normally, I'll occasionally call home to let them know I'm safe and to ask about my parents' health.

Seeing his genuine expression of astonishment, Chu Yunfei's anger subsided slightly.

But he knew that ignorance was not a valid excuse for acquittal.

"Is there any point in saying all this now?"

Chu Yunfei's voice remained icy, "Qian Bojun, I order you! Immediately! Get back to Lin County!"

"You need to personally clean up all those things in your family!"

"I don't care if you're cleaning house or turning against your own family for the greater good!"

"You must give the people of Linxian an explanation for this matter!"

"Give me, Chu Yunfei, an explanation!"

Chu Yunfei's voice softened slightly, but his tone became even heavier.

"Bojun, don't forget your current identity."

"In terms of military achievements, you, Qian Bojun, are second only to me. You are a true general in the War of Resistance against Japan and a flag bearer of the National Revolutionary Army."

"If even the slightest mistake is made, it will be a serious blow to the morale of the entire army and the people."

"The problem was discovered in time this time, and it didn't cause any major trouble in your home."

"If there is a next time"

"Your humble servant understands, and I have failed Your Majesty's high expectations!"

He suddenly stood up, gave Chu Yunfei a deep military salute, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"Your subordinate will go and clean house immediately!"

After saying that, Qian Bojun turned around and strode out of the conference room.

Chu Yunfei's anger had not subsided.

He has always been very protective of his reputation and often adopts an extremely strict zero-tolerance attitude towards such behavior.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately seized control of the Military Law Department after gaining power, and appointed Cao Potian, a notorious killer, as the deputy director of the Military Law Department.

The establishment of the Inspectorate is intended to thoroughly rectify the current situation where generals compete with the people for land and "profits".

It was a time of chaos.

Generals with military power can almost infinitely expand their power in local areas.

Under such circumstances, the military could acquire land and engage in business almost without hindrance.

The common people would be in deep trouble.

Especially in provinces experiencing drought, such as parts of Henan, land has become extremely cheap.

Chu Yunfei had received a secret report that some central army generals were taking advantage of the famine to seize large tracts of land.

After the Japanese are defeated, they will become large landowners with tens of thousands of acres of land.

Currently.

He has ordered the Inspectorate to investigate and deal with the matter once it is verified.

They naturally need to be targeted.

This systemic corruption problem often occurs at the upper and middle levels.

As for the lower levels, many members of the Kuomintang (KMT) don't even know what the KMT is. They only know that they can get party membership by paying money, which is really absurd.

But... after all, they were Kuomintang members, and such absurd things were not uncommon throughout the entire War of Resistance against Japan.

anyway.

After quickly composing himself, Chu Yunfei strode toward the command post.

The people in the command post were now gathered around Qian Zhaoyou.

They were curious about what had happened and why Chu Yunfei had come uninvited.

Qian Zhaoyou himself was completely bewildered and naturally couldn't answer them: "I don't know anything about this either."

Footsteps sounded, and everyone immediately turned around to look.

"Your Excellency..."

Chu Yunfei nodded slightly and immediately sat back down in the main seat.

Seeing that he wasn't in a good mood, no one wanted to provoke him, and everyone quietly went about their own business.

him at this time.

In reality, his consciousness had already become immersed in the three-dimensional combat map.

The Japanese attack force was less than three kilometers away from Ma Fawu's unit.

[40th Army - Ma Fawu]

Current organization level: 78%

Current combat strength: 10356 (out of 15380)

[Currently the main light weapons in service: Hanyang Type 88 rifle, Liaoning Type 17 rifle, Type 24 rifle, Type 38 rifle]

[Currently mainly equipped machine gun models: Type 24 light machine gun (Chinese copy of Czech machine gun), Type 24 heavy machine gun, and Shanxi-made Type 38 rifle]

[Current main equipment support weapon models: 82mm mortar, 60mm mortar, Type 31 mountain gun]

[Current main heavy weapon: Type 31 mountain gun]

Current equipment status: Poor

Current logistical support status: Moderate

[Current training level of this unit: Initial training completed]

Compared to the Japanese army, the overall combat effectiveness of the 40th Army was significantly lower.

The difference is not just a little bit.

Moreover, the area surrounding Anyang, which it mainly defends, is practically indefensible.

The Great Plains region.

It was virtually impossible to stop the Japanese army's assault operation.

And not far away.

To Chu Yunfei's slight surprise, it seemed that Sun Dianying's newly formed Fifth Army of the Wang Jingwei regime was also going to participate in this operation.

Compared to the 40th Army under Pang Bingxun.

The newly formed Fifth Army did not reach the claimed 35,000 men.

However, the actual combat strength also exceeded 10,000.

Moreover, in terms of weaponry and equipment, it is even superior to the 40th Army.

Clearly, the Japanese army also wanted to put Sun Dianying in a difficult position.

This put him completely on the opposite side of the mountain city and the Nationalist army in North China.

Only in this way.

Only then would they feel comfortable arming Sun Dianying's troops.

For the Japanese army, which was short of manpower, they obviously would not give up any opportunity to strengthen their own strength.

People like Sun Dianying betrayed their country and nation.

They also have their own methods.

not far away.

The support troops commanded by Fang Ligong have arrived on the outskirts of Anyang, ready to respond once the Japanese launch their attack.

Guo Yanzheng's newly formed 16th Division was ready for battle.

As the core force of the Flying Tigers, it is now the main combat force.

The newly formed 16th Division has a combat strength far exceeding that of the 40th Army.

The light weapons were mainly Japanese-made, with a considerable number of machine guns and support artillery manufactured in Shanxi.

The number of grenade launchers assigned to the front line exceeded 250.

Including mortars at the regimental, battalion, and company levels.

The number of light artillery pieces is close to 350.

In terms of heavy weaponry, it was equipped with sixteen 75mm mountain guns.

They were also provided with trucks from the Soviet Union to facilitate their rapid movement.

Heading towards Handan.

The newly formed 14th Division under Chen Zejun, the 76th Army under Li Tiejun, and the 12th Army under Sun Tongxuan of the 3rd Army Group are all ready to intercept reinforcements. Once the battle in the Anyang direction begins, the offensive in the Handan direction will also commence. (End of this chapter)