Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 502 The Chief's Wise View
Just as Huang Huanran was crossing the canal to retreat towards Pengcheng, Du Guangting also set off from Beiping, preparing to return to the Central Plains battlefield.

During this period, Du Guangting once considered feigning illness and not returning home.

But in the end, he decided to keep his promise to Chang Ruiyuan and remain faithful to him until the end.

On the plane to Nanjing, Du Guangting felt as if he were on his way to execution.

It seems that as soon as you arrive in Pengcheng, you'll be beaten to death.

On the 10th, Du Guangting's plane arrived in Nanjing.

Inside the Ministry of National Defense, Du Guangting, whose outlook was already pessimistic, could no longer contain himself after seeing the appalling state of affairs on the map.

"Chief of Staff, why is our main force still concentrated near Pengcheng? Why not retreat to the Jinpu Railway line according to the Xuzhou-Bengbu Campaign plan?"

"That sounds nice, but there's simply not enough time!" Gu Mosan said irritably.

"Before the 44th Army had withdrawn, the G Army launched an offensive, which led to Huang Huanran being trapped in Nianwei."

Looking at the map, Du Guangting's expression grew increasingly grim.

Just then, a servant's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door: "The President has arrived!"

Everyone immediately took their seats.

After Chang Ruiyuan and his group entered, they didn't waste any words and directly ordered, "Guo Gui, tell us the Ministry of National Defense's next operational plan."

Guo Gui immediately stood up and went to the map: "According to the latest situation, the Ministry of National Defense plans to have Huang Huanran's Corps defend Nianwei to the death, and the 63rd Army defend Yaowan to the death."

"Sun Yunliang's army group and the 72nd Army are to defend Xuzhou, while Qiu Feng's army group and Li Bingwen's army group are to advance eastward to relieve Huang Huanran's siege."

After Guo Gui finished speaking, Chang Ruiyuan looked at Du Guangting: "Guangting, do you have any opinions?"

After listening to Guo Gui's report to the Ministry of National Defense, Du Guangting realized that even the extraordinary battle plan had disappeared.

Guo Jun has returned to his old ways of only acting when provoked.

This left Du Guangting speechless.

"Chairman, I don't know the situation yet. Let's talk about it when we get to the front," Du Guangting said helplessly.

"Alright, in that case, you should hurry up and set off."

"You will remain Liu Jingfu's deputy, concurrently serving as the director of the forward command post, and will be in actual charge of the front-line command."

"I have already telegraphed Liu Jingfu, and he will cooperate with your work!"

"yes!".
That evening, Du Guangting urgently flew to Pengcheng.

However, the plane carrying the hopes of the Central Plains Army lost its way as soon as it took off.

The pilot flew north all the way to the Yellow River before suddenly realizing what had happened and quickly turned back.

However, the pilot still hadn't found Pengcheng by midnight.

The plane finally landed in Pengcheng when it was almost out of fuel, at 1 a.m. on the 11th.

Upon arriving at the Pengcheng Siling tribe, Du Guangting found it to be even more chaotic than he had anticipated.

It has been three days since the start of the war, but the Silings have yet to make any effective assessment of the battlefield situation.

Siling's troops blindly believed the urgent telegrams sent back by every army corps at the front.

Liu Jingfu still maintained the same statement he made at the start of the war: the main force of the G army was everywhere near Pengcheng.

Moreover, apart from urgently recalling all troops, Liu Jingfu did not issue any other clear instructions.

Even the rescue plan that the Ministry of National Defense has already finalized has not been implemented to date.

Du Guangting immediately requested an emergency military meeting.

Inside the meeting room, Liu Jingfu spoke first: "Ladies and gentlemen, Guangting just got off the plane. I told him to rest for a while, but he insists on having a talk with you all."

"Guangting, please."

"Xuzhou is already on the front line, and we must act according to the time management of the front line."

"Please have a seat, everyone," Du Guangting said, gesturing for them to sit down.

After everyone was seated, Liu Jingfu couldn't help but say, "Gentlemen, I'd like to take this opportunity to say a few words. Lately, there have been many people gossiping and making fun of me."

"They said Pengcheng was the gateway to Beijing and Shanghai, and that a tiger general should be sent to guard it. If they couldn't send a tiger, they should at least send a dog. In the end, they sent a pig."

"Hehe. That's quite a compliment."

Throughout history, the tactics of pigs have been successfully employed by people in warfare.

"When attacked, it hides its rear end, making it impossible for you to catch it. In the end, you'll have no choice but to give it a good beating."

Hearing Liu Jingfu praising the effectiveness of the "pig tactics," Qiu Feng couldn't help but mutter something to Li Yunliang beside him.

Although Liu Jingfu couldn't hear clearly because of the distance, he could tell from their expressions that they were mocking him.

"Qiu Feng, what are you saying?"

"I say, the General's opinion is brilliant," Qiu Feng said with a smile.

As a former teacher, Liu Jingfu was unwilling to turn against Qiu Feng. Seeing that Qiu Feng had given him a way out, Liu Jingfu accepted it.

"Gentlemen, I know my abilities are not that great, but now I have a solution. Deputy Siling Du is back, so let's ask Guangting to explain."

Du Guangting didn't waste any words and immediately stood up and said:

"Judging from the current battlefield situation, the western part of Pengcheng should be a feint attack by the Central Plains Field Army to contain the enemy."

"The main intention of the G Army was to use the East China Field Army as the main force to encircle and annihilate Huang Huanran in the eastern part of Pengcheng."

"The situation in Pengcheng is dire. If we cannot achieve a surprise victory, it will be difficult to turn the tide."

"As for how to get Huang Huanran out of this predicament, I have an idea."

"We can concentrate the main force of Pengcheng and cooperate with Huang Peiwu's army group advancing eastward to immediately attack the weaker six columns of the Central Plains Field Army to the west."

"As long as we capture the Central Plains G Army with overwhelming force, the East China G Army will have to send troops to rescue him, and the siege of Huang Huanran will fall by itself."

“Even if the East China Army does not provide support, we can still annihilate the Central Plains Army, break one side of the Army’s pincer attack, and then turn back east to relieve the siege of Huang’s army.”

"Okay, let's do it!" Qiu Feng immediately chimed in in support. He had long since lost patience with Liu Jing, who had been sitting there like a dead pig.

However, apart from Qiu Feng, everyone else did not support this plan.

“Guangting, Huang Huanran is sending several telegrams a day asking for help,” Liu Jingfu said.

Du Guangting immediately said, "Let him grit his teeth and hold out for seven to ten days. That will be enough for us to annihilate the Central Plains G Army and then turn back east."

Although Du Guangting explained it very clearly, the other soldiers still shook their heads.

"What if we attack the Central Plains army from the west but fail to reach it?"

"That's too risky, too risky."

"Jinling will not agree."
Upon hearing that Huang Huanran was to hold out for seven to ten days, even Qiu Feng was speechless.

Previously in eastern Henan, Huang Huanran only lasted three days.

Although Huang Huanran now has more troops than before, the G army also has more troops.

Even with the fortifications left by the 13th Army Corps, Qiu Feng didn't think Huang Huanran could hold out for seven to ten days.

Liu Jingfu, who was standing to the side, also shook his head repeatedly. He also believed that Huang Huanran could not possibly last that long.

If Huang Huanran is annihilated before the Central Plains G Army captures him, he cannot bear the blame from his superiors.

"Is there any safer option?" Liu Jingfu asked.

"Then we can only follow the Ministry of National Defense's plan: send Qiu Li's army eastward to rescue Huang Huanran, and order Huang Peiwu's army to advance rapidly towards Pengcheng."

"They huddle together in order to protect themselves," Du Guangting sighed.

According to the Ministry of National Defense's plan, the KMT army was always in a passive position, and the KMT army could attack however it wanted.

With this familiar proposal presented, everyone naturally had no objections, and it was quickly passed unanimously.

The Qiu and Li corps began to quickly assemble their troops, preparing to depart the next day.

(End of this chapter)