Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

He looked at Yu Qiubai with a hint of seriousness: "Then how about we make you the commander-in-chief? I'll be your deputy political commissar, what do you think?"

Yu Qiubai glanced at him disdainfully: "Does the moment the gunfire starts, the entire army have to listen to you? I have absolutely no interest in being a puppet. Forget about it."

Zhou Zeyuan coughed twice and touched his nose: "Actually, I don't particularly care about promotions. After all, I'm still young and have plenty of time. Right now, I just want to focus on my career."

"However, the issue of organizational structure is indeed affecting our work. The Fujian-Zhejiang Soviet Area currently has six divisions. After this battle, it will need to be expanded further. Who can command so many troops?"

Yu Qiubai nodded, his expression becoming serious: "So the central government's opinion is to reinstate you as a military-level unit."

"Establish two or three corps under the corps. Restore the two-tiered organization of corps and divisions to a three-tiered organization of corps, corps, and divisions. This will clarify the chain of command."

He glanced at Zhou Zeyuan: "However, this is just an opinion. The central government also needs to consider the thoughts of local comrades. So, do you agree with this plan or not?"

"That is one solution. However, this will disappoint many comrades who are hoping for progress."

Zhou Zeyuan's gaze held a hint of scrutiny: "Who on earth came up with this trick? It completely ignores the feelings of our comrades at the grassroots level."

Yu Qiubai picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then casually remarked, "Oh, you should know that man. He's an old comrade who carries grain on a shoulder pole."

Zhou Zeyuan was immediately jolted awake, and his expression changed instantly.

He straightened his back, and his tone became serious. "Hmm, as expected of a comrade from the Central Committee, your insights are truly profound, and every word hits the nail on the head."

Yu Qiubai held his teacup, a slight smile playing on his lips, and chuckled inwardly.

Kid, you're pretty arrogant. But there's always someone who can handle you.

He put down his teacup and asked with a serious expression, "Comrade Zeyuan, didn't you just say that this plan ignored the feelings of comrades at the grassroots level?"

Zhou Zeyuan slapped his thigh, the action crisp and decisive: "That's right! But that doesn't detract from the brilliance of this plan. The comrades at the grassroots level are ambitious and, after a series of victories, they inevitably become somewhat arrogant and complacent, so it's necessary to curb their arrogance appropriately."

"Oh..." Yu Qiubai drawled, "So that's what you mean. Please explain it more clearly, I almost misunderstood. So, you mean you agree?"

Zhou Zeyuan shook his head: "I only express my personal agreement. As for the thoughts of Comrade Huaizhou and the others, I need to consult them again. Let's talk about this matter after the war is over."

Yu Qiubai nodded and did not ask any further questions.

He sat for a while longer, chatted with Zhou Zeyuan for a bit, then stood up and swayed as he walked out of the command post.

After he left, Zhou Zeyuan stood alone in front of the map again.

His gaze fell on the map, slowly moving along the mountains and rivers on the border of Fujian and Zhejiang.

You can only choose one development direction.

Xun Huaizhou led his troops north again. Logically speaking, expanding northwest and connecting with the Fujian-Zhejiang-Jiangxi Soviet Area would have been the best strategy.

but……

His gaze moved south, landing on the Putian area.

The Nationalist army there was weak, but the people had a good foundation, making it a fertile ground for development.

Originally, the local comrades faced extremely difficult survival due to the heavy encirclement and suppression by the Nationalist army.

However, the situation began to change after the Northern Expeditionary Anti-Japanese Vanguard marched towards Fuzhou.

To this day, most of the Nationalist Army field troops stationed in the area have been withdrawn to the banks of the Minjiang River, leaving only some security regiments to maintain order in the county town.

It doesn't take many; just one division of regular troops can create a second Mindong Soviet Area.

How should I choose?

His brows furrowed slightly.

Forget it, let's take a step by step!

First, we will provide them with some weapons and equipment through smuggling channels.

If the time is right, we might as well pursue both strategies together and fly with both wings!

Old Su has already performed beyond his usual level. Old Xun, give it your all!

That's right, he only dared to shout that in his heart.

He, who always used the battalion commander as a negative example, went to the other extreme—he tried to interfere as little as possible with the front-line commander's decision-making, and rarely even offered any opinions!

In western Zhejiang, in the Jinqu Basin, the battle in Longyou County ended faster than expected.

The county town security force was already weak, and then the fleeing soldiers who had escaped from Songyang and Suichang poured into the town.

Panic and despair are like a large basin of ink being poured directly into a water tank.

The vanguard of the Red Army broke through the North Gate with almost no resistance, advanced along the main street, and quickly took control of the county government, post office, and several major intersections.

A few sporadic bursts of fire erupted from a few rooftops, but were quickly suppressed and then fell completely silent.

When Xun Huaizhou ascended the city tower, the cleanup work inside the city was nearing completion.

Teams of prisoners were led through the streets, their hands behind their heads, their backs bent, and they squatted in a row along the wall to the shouts of the Red Army soldiers.

The soldiers skillfully registered the prisoners' names and counted the captured supplies.

He stood on the city wall, gazing at the scene outside the city.

On the official road, a dense crowd of people was moving eastward along the main road.

Those were the defeated soldiers from three counties, plus a security regiment that came to reinforce from Quzhou. Scattered together, they numbered more than a thousand people.

The gunfire of the Red Army's pursuing troops rang out intermittently behind them, driving them eastward at a leisurely pace, like a whip.

Among the fleeing soldiers were dozens of special agents dressed in Nationalist army uniforms.

They mingled with the fleeing soldiers, running, shouting, and cursing along, completely integrating themselves into the defeated ranks.

Hu Tiantao walked up from below the city wall, followed his gaze to the routed troops outside the city, and a puzzled look appeared on her face:

"Commander, isn't our objective to the west? Why are we driving the routed troops east?"

Xun Huaizhou withdrew his gaze, glanced at Hu Tiantao, and said, "This is called a feint attack. Right now, the main force of the National Army is converging on the Jinqu Basin from all directions. If we rush straight west, we will run headlong into the enemy's net."

"Then why not make a feint? We'll move eastward as if we're about to conquer Jinhua and head north to take Hangzhou."

"In this way, the enemy's main force will be divided into two groups: one group will head directly for Hangzhou, trying to intercept us in advance on our offensive route; the other group will enter the Jinqu Basin, chasing after us and cutting off our retreat."

Upon hearing this, Hu Tiantao frowned even more deeply: "Wouldn't that put us in great danger?"

Xun Huaizhou's smile faltered slightly.

I was a little puzzled. My old subordinate is usually quite clever, so why didn't he understand after I pointed it out today? Could it be that I explained it too simply?

He patiently continued to explain, "Didn't I say? Our goal is to head west to attack Quzhou, and then join up with our comrades in Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi."

"What is the most crucial thing for the two armies to join forces? It is to annihilate the enemy's main force. The reason I made a feigned move eastward was to lure Zhou Hunyuan's column, which was roaming around Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi, to come here."