The Courtyard House: The Little Red Devil Returning from the Peninsula

Two months after Zhao Weiguo took over the Independent Regiment.

Two thousand people were doing morning exercises at the Baimaling playground. The number of people was significantly higher than two months ago, and the formations were much more orderly.

The veterans walked in front, their steps steady, rifles slung over their shoulders, butts pointing in one direction. The new recruits followed behind, their steps still a little unsteady, but at least they weren't falling behind. Those who had been reorganized from the guerrillas were sandwiched in the middle, wearing all sorts of cotton-padded jackets, some even with felt hats, but their rifles were all polished to a gleaming shine.

Zhao Gang stood on the edge of the playground, holding a roster in his hand.

The literacy classes have been running for a month, and the veterans can already write their names, albeit in a crooked way, while the new recruits are still learning. A register for the families of the wounded and killed has also been set up, with each battalion having its own book, clearly recording who died in action, how many people were in their family, and their address.

"Has the compensation grain been delivered to that wounded soldier from the Zhou family?" Zhao Gang asked the clerk next to him.

"It's been delivered." The clerk turned a page. "His mother refused to accept it, saying her son hadn't died in vain; the grain should be left for the surviving brothers."

Zhao Gang didn't say anything, but simply put a checkmark next to that name.

Zhao Weiguo stood at the entrance of the regimental headquarters cave dwelling, looking at the drill ground. His old military uniform was dirty again, the cuffs were frayed, and his boots were covered in mud from yesterday's training ground. The handle of his Mauser pistol was wrapped with old strips of cloth.

He was watching a new recruit's movements on the parade ground. The recruit was holding a Hanyang rifle, buttstock against his shoulder, but his aiming posture was wrong; his shoulder was too high, and his neck was crooked. The veteran next to him patted him and pressed his shoulder down. The recruit aimed again, and this time he got it right.

Zhao Weiguo remained silent.

---

Then Gardenia arrived.

She walked in from outside the regimental headquarters, followed by a person. The person was covered in sweat, his cotton-padded coat was open, his hat was askew, and his face was covered in dust; he clearly had traveled a long way.

It's Xiaoman. She's from the intelligence group of the special operations company, a member of the gifted youth program.

Xiaoman ran up to Zhao Weiguo, bent over and panted for a long time before she finally spoke.

"Reporting to the commander, intelligence has been sent back from our source in Taigu County."

Zhao Weiguo looked at him. Xiaoman's face showed urgency, the kind of urgency one would feel after running dozens of miles to deliver a message. His lips were chapped, with scabs on the cracks, his shoe soles were worn through, his toes were sticking out, and his toenails were blackened.

"explain."

Xiaoman stood up straight.

"The reserve battalion of the Japanese 36th Division, approximately 1,100 men, along with a mountain artillery detachment and a machine gun company, will be moving from Taigu to Chenjiazhuang tomorrow morning for troop rotation. They will take the old official road, not the highway."

Zhao Weiguo did not speak immediately.

1,100 men. With artillery and machine guns. Shift change. Tomorrow morning.

He looked at Xiaoman and paused for a few seconds.

How far did you run?

"Sixty li," Xiaoman said. "It took most of the day to walk there. I received the intelligence this morning, and I didn't stop along the way to avoid delays."

Zhao Weiguo nodded. They'd run sixty li of mountain road in half a day; their shoes were worn through. The intelligence came this morning; the Japanese would depart tomorrow morning. They only had one night left.

Who is the commander?

"Nobuo Yamada."

Zhao Weiguo read the name aloud.

"Yamazaki's cohort, just recently added."

Yamazaki was crippled at Tuanbugou, and Yamada was there to fill the gap. The Japanese army was also replenishing its ranks.

Which way to go?

"The old official road. From Taigu to Chenjiazhuang, passing Zhaojiayu."

Zhao Weiguo's finger located Zhao Jiayu on the map. He didn't look up.

Where are the artillery pieces?

"In the middle of the marching order, there is one infantry company at the front and one at the rear."

"Where are the defenders?"

"A company, around 150 men."

Zhao Weiguo thought for a moment.

How much can you trust what insiders say?

"The intelligence has been checked twice already," Xiaoman said. "The first three intelligence reports were accurate."

Zhao Weiguo didn't ask any more questions. He nodded and reached out to straighten Xiaoman's askew hat.

"Go down for dinner."

Xiaoman paused for a moment, as if she wasn't used to such words.

"Yes."

He turned and walked away, his steps slightly limping.

---

Zhao Weiguo walked to the table and spread out the map.

The map was hand-drawn, the pencil lines crooked, but every marker was clear. He marked three points on the map with a pencil: Taigu, Chenjiazhuang, and Zhaojiayu. The three points formed a line, and in the middle of the line was Zhaojiayu.

Zhao Jia Yu is a deep valley, eight li long, with steep slopes on both sides covered with pine trees and shrubs. At the bottom of the valley is a narrow dirt road, barely wide enough for mules and horses to walk side by side. The valley is narrow at the entrance and at the end, with a slightly wider section in the middle, but the steep slopes on both sides prevent the horses from spreading out in formation.

Zhao Weiguo stared at Zhao Jiayu for a long time.

"Gardenia. Have you ever been to Zhao Jia Yu?"

Gardenia casually remarked.

"I passed through twice. There are stone walls on both sides of the valley entrance, more than a meter high. There's a landslide in the middle of the valley, with rocks piled up on the road, requiring mules and horses to go around it. At the end of the valley, there's a bend, and beyond that, a gentle slope, where you can retreat."

Zhao Weiguo marked this information on the map.

"One thousand one hundred people," Zhao Gang said from the side. "That's a considerable number."

"We can fight," Zhao Weiguo nodded, "but we can't fight this kind of battle just by giving orders."

He looked at the people present.

"The column is eight miles long; if they fire in front, the rear won't hear it," he said, pointing to Zhao Jia Yu on the map. "We have to use radio."

Zhao Tieshan rushed over from Shiyao. His left leg was still lame, but it was better than last month; he walked with less of a limp. The thin wire on the temple of his gold-rimmed glasses glittered under the light.

"Both radio transceivers are set up," he said. "One is fixed at the regimental headquarters, and the other can move with the command post. Communication can be maintained within five kilometers, but the signal will be lost beyond five kilometers."

Zhao Weiguo waved his hand.

"Zhao Jia Yu is eight li long, five kilometers is enough. The regimental command post is located on a small hill outside the valley entrance, equipped with a mobile radio. An observation post is set up at the end of the valley, equipped with another radio. Communication is maintained at both ends, so even if it is lost in the middle, communication can still be maintained."

Zhao Tieshan noted it down.

How is the call sign determined?

Zhao Weiguo thought for a moment.

"The regimental headquarters was called 'Anvil.' The First Battalion was called 'Hammer,' the Second Battalion was called 'Pliers,' and the Third Battalion was called 'Iron Wall.' The Special Service Company was called 'Iron Needle,' and the Artillery Company was called 'Iron Rain.'"

Zhao Tieshan wrote it down in his notebook.

"What about the backup signal?"

"Flag signals," Zhao Weiguo said. "If the radio goes down, use flags. Red flag: fire; yellow flag: retreat; green flag: prepare. Flag signals convey only one command: fire, retreat, prepare. For more complex commands, use messengers."

Zhao Tieshan grunted in agreement and left.

---

That evening, the regimental headquarters held an operations meeting.

Zhao Weiguo, Zhao Gang, Li Dazhu, Lao Zhou, Lao Qian, Liu Dashan, Zhi Zi, Chen An, Zhao Tieshan, along with the battalion commanders and company commanders, more than twenty people crammed the cave dwelling full. The cave dwelling was filled with smoke; some people were smoking dry tobacco, while others were smoking cigarettes. The air was stuffy and pungent.

Zhao Weiguo stood in front of the map.

"Tomorrow morning, the 36th Division's reserve battalion of 1,100 men will travel from Taigu along the old official road to Chenjiazhuang for troop rotation. They will pass through Zhaojiayu. This will be the first time the Independent Regiment has independently fought a battalion."

The cave dwelling was silent for a second.

"I have a few things to say."

"First, once Yamada's battalion enters Zhao Jia Yu, close the gates and attack, don't let a single one escape." He paused for a moment. "Second, capture as many mountain guns and machine guns as possible intact. Ammunition and bullets are scarce, so avoid detonating anything that can be avoided."

He paused again.

"The third point," he said, lowering his voice slightly, "is to keep casualties to below fifty."

The cave dwelling became even quieter. Someone put out their cigarette.

Zhao Gang looked at him.

"Your third item is too ruthless," Zhao Gang said. "One thousand one hundred, with cannons and machine guns, it's impossible to fire without injuring people."

Zhao Weiguo didn't look at him.

"I feel heartbroken every single one of them who is lost," he said. "If you can use fortifications to block it, don't use your chest; if you can use firepower, don't use human lives."

Zhao Gang didn't respond. He understood that Zhao Weiguo was setting rules.

Li Dazhu stood up.

"How do we divide it?"

Zhao Weiguo pointed to the map.

"The first battalion is at the valley entrance. Once the vanguard enters the valley, the gate will be closed."

Old Zhou nodded.

"The Second Battalion is in the landslide area. The mountain gun is in the middle of the formation; separate the gunner from the escorting infantry."

Li Dazhu casually chimed in.

"The Third Battalion is at the end of the valley. Once the rearguard enters, close the gate."

Old Qian didn't ask any more questions.

"Special Operations Company?" Zhao Weiguo looked at Zhi Zi. "You go uphill and target officers, signalmen, and machine gunners."

Gardenia responded.

"The artillery company?" He turned to Zhao Tieshan. "Two mortars are set up on a small hill outside the valley entrance. They'll fire fifty rounds this time, targeting the artillery and machine gun positions, but not the infantry."

Zhao Tieshan wrote it down in his notebook.

"Liu Dashan, the guard company will be in reserve. Chen An, the medical team will be on the reverse slope outside the valley entrance; the wounded will not stay inside the valley."

The two of them responded.

Li Dazhu stood up again.

What should I do if the communication is down?

"If the radio goes down, use flags," Zhao Weiguo said. "Red flag: fire; yellow flag: withdraw; green flag: prepare. For more complex situations, use messengers, two per battalion, borrowed from the special operations company."

Old Zhou stood up.

How should the wounded be evacuated?

"Draw out each withdrawal route from the position to the reverse slope in advance. The seriously wounded should be carried, the lightly wounded should walk. Each battalion should have a copy of the routes and rendezvous points."

Old Qian stood up.

"What about the handover of fire?"

"There are overlapping areas between the battalions on the position. After the previous point finishes three rounds of firing and ceases fire, the next point starts firing simultaneously, leaving no gaps," Zhao Weiguo said. "The handover sequence is rehearsed in advance."

The officials didn't ask any more questions.

Zhao Weiguo circled Zhaojiayu on the map.

"We'll set off at four o'clock tomorrow morning and advance to our positions at dawn."

The meeting adjourned. People gradually left, and the cave dwelling became empty.

---

Zhao Weiguo stood in front of the map, looking at the circle around Zhao Jiayu.

Zhao Gang walked over.

Are you confident?

Zhao Weiguo looked at the map.

"Seven points," he said. "The remaining three points depend on Yamada's actions."

He put down his pencil and walked to the entrance of the cave dwelling. The moon was bright outside, shining on the slopes of Baimaling, and the distant mountain ridges shimmered silver in the moonlight.

Zhao Gang stood behind him without saying a word.

"Summon Xiaoman to the regimental headquarters," Zhao Weiguo suddenly said. "Have him repeat the Japanese army's marching order again."

"Afraid of making a mistake?"

"I'm afraid there might be a leak."

Zhao Weiguo turned around, his gaze falling on the radio on the table that had just been tuned. The green light was on, like an eye that hadn't yet blinked.

"Tomorrow, this thing will have to give us orders."