Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 408 You Know, I Know, You Know

Just as the second team was sweeping through Yongqiu, the C column suffered another setback.

Although Chiang Kai-shek issued the order for the main force to reinforce, this would take time.

Before the main force of the Guo army arrived, Liu Jingfu only did one thing.

The reorganized 55th Division began to withdraw its forces westward in an all-round way.

The 55th Division headquarters and the reorganized 29th Brigade retreated to Guide, while the reorganized 181st Brigade departed from Guide to support Kaocheng.

If this move had been made before the second phase of the plan, it would have been a terrible mistake.

However, after the general command issued the plan to isolate the enemy first and then launch a general offensive, this move happened to be in a crucial position.

The C Column and the reorganized 181st Brigade met head-on at Kongjiaji.

Because the 181st Brigade was prepared for an encounter battle, the C Column suffered a heavy loss right from the start.

Then, they were locked in a stalemate once again.

At the same time, enemy forces in Chenqiao and Pucheng also began to launch continuous attacks, harassing and attacking the G army's supply routes.

Because this area was occupied by the enemy, the work of mass mobilization had not yet begun, the rear was very weak, and a large number of civilians fled after being attacked.

This led to the disruption of supplies to the front lines, and ammunition began to run out.

With the vanguard of the Guo army reinforcements already arriving in the Bianliang and Chenqiao area, the command immediately adjusted its battle plan.

Chen Chengxing received orders that the Second Detachment needed to send troops to support the C Column.

Without hesitation, Chen Chengxing led his troops straight to Kongjiaji.

However, before the second team arrived, another unexpected event occurred.

The 119th Brigade of the Guo Army launched a surprise attack on the rear and seized documents from the political department of an independent brigade of the military region.

This includes not only the troop deployment, but also the latest operational plans of the G Army, including the movements of the two branches.

"Old Chen, this is troublesome! The other side knows our trump card!" Luo Ping looked at the telegram with great anxiety.

With the arrival of reinforcements from the Guo army, the G army was already at a disadvantage.

If the enemy finds out our battle plan now, we'll almost certainly lose.

"Should the troops retreat immediately?" Xu Wu asked.

"No rush." ​​Chen Chengxing waved his hand, the situation was not yet at the point of collapse.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Chengxing decided to openly challenge Guo Jun to a game.

"Play with your cards upfront? How do you do that?" Luo Ping was somewhat surprised when he heard Chen Chengxing's idea.

"The Guo army now knows our army's deployment, and our army also knows that the Guo army knows our army's deployment."

Guo Jun also knew that our army knew that Guo Jun knew our army's deployment.

"Then let's bet now that the Guo army doesn't believe I dare to continue fighting!" Chen Chengxing said confidently.

"Xu Wu, send a telegram to the headquarters, saying that the Second Detachment will continue its march as planned!"

"Yes!"

After so many battles, they were completely convinced of Chen Chengxing's prediction.

After receiving Chen Chengxing's telegram, the command discussed the matter for a long time and finally decided to continue with the original battle plan.

Meanwhile, to ensure absolute safety, D moved eastward longitudinally to the vicinity of Yincheng to protect the safety of the troops' retreat route.

Early the next morning, the two teams crossed 60 kilometers and arrived at Kongjiaji.

"Teams 3 and 4, immediately surround the enemy from the flank and rear of the 181st Brigade."

"Eliminate them in the shortest possible time!" Chen Chengxing ordered.

The reinforcements from the east and west flanks of the Guo army have already advanced to within 100 kilometers, and the two forces do not have much time left.

If we cannot resolve this quickly, we risk being surrounded and defeated.

Previously, the 181st Brigade did not feel much pressure when facing the five regiments of the C Column.

However, with the addition of two teams of four regiments to the battlefield, the pressure on the 181st Brigade increased significantly.

Most importantly, the heavy mortar battalions of the 3rd and 4th teams also began their firepower strikes.

Although the 181st Brigade also had an artillery battalion, it consisted of miscellaneous artillery pieces that were no match for the twenty-four heavy mortars.

Even with the constant circling and bombing by the Kuomintang planes, the 181st Brigade was annihilated in less than 8 hours.

Moreover, Chen Chengxing also managed to wipe out a regiment from the 29th Brigade that came to provide support.

Subsequently, the troops began a full-scale northward withdrawal.

"The G Army can come and go as they please? Not so easy!"

Upon learning that the G army had begun its retreat, Liu Jingfu immediately perked up.

“The G army is deep in enemy territory and has not replenished its troops and ammunition. This is the perfect opportunity for us to pursue them,” Chen Chengbo said.

Chen Chengbo was an outside aid that Chiang Kai-shek specifically sent to Liu Jingfu.

Chiang Kai-shek asked him to help Liu Jingfu formulate a battle plan.

According to Chen Chengbo's plan, the Guo army was divided into four lines of troops.

Two of them are blockade lines, and two are pursuit lines.

平汉线的封锁防御由整编40师、85师、32师、38师、15师、27师负责。

They need to block the G army's westward retreat route.

The blockade of the Longhai Railway was still the responsibility of the 68th and 55th Divisions.

They need to clear out the enemy from south to north along the Longhai Railway, compressing the G army's operational space while also preventing the G army from making desperate, all-or-nothing moves.

If the G army doesn't go back but heads straight for the heartland of the Guo army and tries to exchange homes with Liu Jingfu, that would be troublesome.

As for the two pursuit lines, they were handled by troops drawn from Zhuolu and western Henan.

The 5th Army, plus 5 reorganized divisions, advanced in a pincer movement to encircle and annihilate the G Army from both flanks.

It must be said that Chen Chengbo's talent far surpasses that of Liu Jingfu.

Liu Jingfu highly approved of the plan. Judging from the deployment and the overall situation, the G army was already in a dead end.

"Commander Liu, if the plan is executed as scheduled, the G army should have no chance of escaping," Chen Chengbo said.

"As expected of Chief of Staff Chen." Liu Jingfu gave a thumbs up.

"Alright, we're both soldiers, no need for formalities," Chen Chengbo waved his hand.

"My mission is complete. I will soon be flying back to Nanjing. The rest is up to Commander Liu."

If he could, he would never want to work with Liu Jingfu.

"General Chen, rest assured, the G Army's demise is imminent. Please wait for my good news, Chairman!"

"Please convey my regards to the Chairman on my behalf, Chief of Staff Chen."

Chen Chengbo didn't seem to hear him, but he grunted in response and left Liu Jingfu's command post.

Watching Chen Chengbo's car drive away, Liu Jingfu immediately gave the order:
"All units proceed according to plan!"

"The frontline command post is moving to Lanyi! I want to personally oversee operations!"

This is a golden opportunity to gain favor with the Chairman; after annihilating the G army, he can better claim credit.

However, to Liu Jingfu's surprise, as soon as he issued the battle plan, it landed on Yan'an's desk and was immediately forwarded to General Liu.

Inside the temporary meeting room, Chen Chengxing and others also saw the plan.

"If we don't stop the enemy's momentum, the Nationalist army will probably keep chasing us relentlessly," Chen Chengxing said.

"good."

"However, in terms of the overall situation on the battlefield, the enemy has an absolute advantage in troop strength, and we definitely cannot win in a head-on battle."

"Therefore, the political commissar and I decided to concentrate our forces and attack one of his routes!"

"However, it hasn't been decided who to fight yet. You can all share your thoughts."

The people present started discussing it animatedly.

Everyone wants to fight whomever they want, and each has their own valid reasons.

"No, no, that's not appropriate," Chen Chengxing said.
"Don't be fooled by the large number of enemies we see; we only have one target to fight."

“This area is Liu Jingfu’s Shangdu war zone. The 5th Army, the 11th Reorganized Division, and the 88th Reorganized Division from Zhuolu will definitely not launch a full-scale attack.”

"Moreover, the 5th Army and the 11th Reorganized Division are two of the five elite main forces of the KMT army. We should not take on tough challenges now, so we cannot fight along this route."

Although Chen Chengxing did not think that the second team was weaker than this so-called ace, now was not the time to go head-to-head.

Everyone understands Guo Jun's style, so they naturally have no objection to Chen Chengxing's words.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Chen Chengxing continued:

"The 68th and 55th Divisions in the south are also pursuing northward, but they have just been attacked and will definitely be cautious."

I think we don't even need to fight along the way. A few minor skirmishes will be enough to keep them from moving an inch."

"Therefore, the only force we can mobilize is the Western Route Army supported by Liu Jing."

“That makes a lot of sense, go on,” the political commissar gestured.

"Of the three divisions that Liu Jingfu mobilized this time, the 41st and 47th Divisions were Sichuan Army units, and the 3rd Reorganized Division was Lao Chang's direct subordinate."

"If we attack any one of the Sichuan Army units, the other will inevitably come to our rescue with all its might."

But if we were fighting the reorganized 3rd Division, those two Sichuan soldiers would definitely slack off.

"The 3rd Division? The division commander is Zhao Jietian, and he's a very powerful man," General Liu said.

"Oh? You know him?" Chen Chengxing was somewhat surprised.

"I don't know him, but I know him."

"Zhao Jietian was one of Liu Jingfu's old subordinates."

"Liu Jingfu once served as a battalion commander in the Whampoa Military Academy Training Corps, and there was another battalion commander at the same time as him, named Gu Zhutong."

"Gu Zhutong's wife is named Xu Wenrong, Xu Wenrong's sister is named Xu Wenli, and Xu Wenli's husband is Zhao Jietian."

"Moreover, this Zhao Jietian is Gu Zhutong's nephew."

"Zhao Jietian is indeed very assertive," Chen Chengxing nodded.

Zhao Jietian has connections in higher places.

"However, our army prefers those with a strong backbone. As long as we break their backs, the momentum of the Guo army will inevitably be reduced."

Upon hearing Chen Chengxing's words, everyone nodded in agreement.

After careful consideration, the two political commissars also made up their minds.

"Alright, since everyone agrees that we should take down the 3rd Division, then let's eat him up!"

"Chen Chengxing".

"To!"

"If we want to take down the entire 3rd Division, we'll need your second team to help."

"I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"
The main force has just finished a battle on the Longhai Railway, and is not only exhausted but also short of ammunition.

Therefore, two units were needed to block the advance of the 3rd Division, while the remaining troops withdrew to Caozhou to rest and recuperate.

The second branch's blocking action was not so simple either. Chen Chengxing had to fight and retreat, pretending to be unable to defeat the enemy and luring them deeper into his territory.

Moreover, the retreat must be gradual, moving towards Yanghu.

When the two forces retreated, the C column was responsible for blocking the Guo army in the Beihao direction and cutting off the distance between the 3rd Division and other units.

When the 3rd Division becomes isolated and reaches Yanghu, the G Army's main force, which has already rested, will encircle and launch a surprise attack on the 3rd Division from both sides of Yanghu.

The key to this battle lies in whether the second column can block and lure the enemy along the predetermined route as planned, and whether the C column can block the enemy forces in the Beihao direction and completely isolate the 3rd Division.

After the meeting, the various units immediately began to act according to plan.

Chen Chengxing deployed two regiments of Team 1 in several villages and towns northeast of Lanyi to undertake the first round of blocking missions.

Team 2 was positioned 20 kilometers behind Team 1 to lure the enemy in the second round.

(End of this chapter)