The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

"Lin Hu, you bastard son! I'm going to fight you!"

Chiang Kai-shek was on He Zhonghan's back, still muttering about the war in grief. Seeing that the man coming was a brother from the same regiment, He Zhonghan put Chiang Kai-shek down with a sense of relief.

"Chen, Commander Chen," He Zhonghan panted, "the reconnaissance team and the headquarters' guards are blocking Lin Hu's army at the southern foot of Lianhua Mountain! There are about three or four hundred enemy troops chasing in this direction!"

Chen Tianheng: "What about the 3rd Division? How many people are there?"

"The 3rd Division has been dispersed. The division commander is missing. The commander and party representative of the 7th Regiment have been killed. The commander of the 8th Regiment has not yet taken over command. The surviving personnel of the entire division are retreating along the road to Luhe. They are disorganized and scattered all over the place. Lin Hu's army has two to three thousand troops pursuing them!"

Chen Tianheng: "Are you sure these are the only people Lin Hujun rushed out to pursue?"

"Before rescuing the principal, my reconnaissance team and I observed from two high vantage points, and the approximate number is accurate."

"Medical soldier, the principal has sprained his foot. Treat him immediately and then send him to the 1st Division Field Hospital on a stretcher." Chen Tianheng first settled Chiang Kai-shek.

"Guan Linzheng, send out a signal flare. Let the entire regiment advance and follow us!"

Two green flares rose into the sky. Half a minute later, another green flare rose from the distant hills, signaling that the First Regiment headquarters had received the message from the front. Chen Tianheng waited in place, and a moment later, Zuo Quan and Jiang Xianyun arrived with the rest of the regiment.

While they were on the road, Chen Tianheng had used a branch to draw a rough map of the nearby battlefield on the dirt road.

"Everyone, come here. The situation is this. Lan Yundong's reconnaissance team and Yu Jishi's guards are blocking the way ahead. Judging from the gunfire we heard, they're still three or four kilometers away from us. There are three to four hundred Lin Hu troops chasing the reconnaissance team. In addition, there are two to three thousand Lin Hu troops chasing the remnants of the 3rd Division along this road. Yes, the 7th and 8th Regiments of the 3rd Division have fallen into an enemy ambush, and the entire division has been defeated."

"Zuo Quan, we must come up with a plan immediately to achieve the greatest effect of annihilating the enemy at the lowest cost."

Zuo Quan looked at the diagram on the ground and said, "Judging from this situation, we must first destroy the enemies chasing the reconnaissance team before we can charge at the large group of enemies."

Chen Tianheng: "Then we must quickly annihilate the three or four hundred men of the pursuit and reconnaissance team. Only then can we launch a surprise attack on the large group of Lin Hu troops from the flank. He Zhonghan, are the Lin Hu troops fast in pursuing the scattered soldiers of the 3rd Division?"

He Zhonghan: "Although the 3rd Division has lost its unified command and its organization is in disarray, there are still some small combat units that are holding out. Lin Hu's army is not pursuing them very quickly."

Chen Tianheng: "Then we will try to intercept them in this valley and attack them from the flank. This requires the entire regiment to defeat these three or four hundred people within half an hour."

Within a few minutes, the 1st Regiment decided on the battle plan, and the entire regiment entered combat formation and rushed forward.

Seven months ago, Lin Hu was defeated by the 1st Regiment, and the 1st Regiment was full of confidence in the battle.

On the first day of the battle, Chen Tianheng discovered that Lin Hu's 1st Guangdong Rescue Army was even less effective than it had been seven months earlier. At Mianhu, over 10,000 of Lin Hu's troops had been routed and scattered. Although Lin Hu later reorganized the remnants, the integrity of the core personnel and the morale of the troops were significantly lower than before.

After joining forces with Lan Yundong and Yu Jishi's blocking team, the 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment immediately launched an attack. Lin Hu's army, which had just been immersed in attacking the blocking position, suddenly found itself a fat sheep. In a state of confusion, the entire line collapsed in less than half an hour.

Then the entire regiment continued its rapid march and accurately intercepted Lin Hu's army and the remnants of the fleeing 3rd Division at Zhangshutang.

After a major raid, it was Lin Hu's army that was now fleeing.

"Hello, Principal! Hello, Teacher!"

After the battle, the main force of the 1st Division appeared on the road. Chiang Kai-shek, having returned to the 1st Division, refused to seek medical treatment at the field hospital and instead brought He Yingqin with him. Chiang Kai-shek was now riding on a sled, followed by He Yingqin's divisional troops, the 2nd Regiment, the artillery battalion, and more than 3,000 others.

He Yingqin: "Chen Tianheng, have you finished the battle?"

Chen Tianheng: "After the ambush, Lin Hu's army sent two groups of troops to pursue the 3rd Division and the Eastern Expedition Command. Our regiment defeated both enemy forces in turn. The number of kills has not yet been counted, but we captured over 700 prisoners. The remaining hundreds of troops retreated back to Lin Hu's defense line in Huayang."

Chiang Kai-shek: "Jingzhi, pull up the cannons and bombard their defenses! Make sure to inflict heavy damage on Lin Hu's army here!"

He Yingqin: "Artillery Battalion! Pull up the cannons!"

……

The Huayang battle was the only "dangerous situation" during the Second Dongzheng Campaign.

The next day, the 1st Division broke through the Huayang Defense Line, and the door to eastern Guangdong was completely opened.

10月28日占领五华，11月1日攻占揭阳。11月2日，第3纵队占领梅县；11月6日，第一纵队攻占潮州，11月7日攻占汕头；11月9日，东征军攻占粤闽边界的饶平县城，第二次东征大功告成。

Chen Jiongming fled to Hong Kong and became a private official, while Lin Hu also fled to Shanghai. The Chen Jiongming warlord faction completely withdrew from the stage of history.

In western Guangdong and Hainan, Deng Benyin's troops were also being severely beaten by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi. On November 2, the Southern Expeditionary Force captured Enping, and on November 7, they captured Yangjiang. Deng Benyin's troops were defeated, with one group retreating to Qinzhou, Guangxi, and another to Hainan Island.

To recapture Hainan Island and unify all of Guangdong, one must cross the sea. However, only the National Revolutionary Army has modern steel warships, and Deng Benyin's troops have nothing. Landing on Hainan Island is not too difficult, it just takes time to organize a landing fleet.

"He Zhonghan, come here."

After returning triumphantly, Chen Tianheng went to talk to He Zhonghan in private.

"After returning to Huangpu, you might be invited to talk by a Soviet instructor within a few days or a month," Chen Tianheng said. "The Soviet instructor would discuss a rather bizarre topic with you."

He Zhonghan: "Ah? What topic?"

……

"Davarich He, please sit down, please sit down."

He Zhonghan came into the office of Soviet military adviser Nikulin at three o'clock in the afternoon as scheduled. Nikulin warmly invited He Zhonghan to sit down and asked him if he wanted a drink.

"Our Soviet advisors have been carefully observing and examining each Whampoa cadet, understanding your status, your talents, and your potential, and accordingly formulating the most suitable training and utilization plans for outstanding cadets."

"The Soviet advisory group has a very constructive idea for your training plan. He, have you discovered that you have great potential in intelligence?"

He Zhonghan's eyes widened. "Me? Intelligence? Well, Instructor Nikulin, I'm not even sure myself, but I believe that if the job requires it, I can handle intelligence work."

"No, no, no, He Zhonghan, this isn't 'getting started'. You underestimate yourself. In fact, we believe you're a rare intelligence genius."

……

After returning to the regiment’s base, He Zhonghan immediately looked for Chen Tianheng. When talking about this matter, He Zhonghan still had an expression as if he had seen a ghost.

"Nikulin said I'm particularly suited to intelligence work, that I was born with the blood of an ace spy flowing through my veins. Damn it, I don't even recognize myself anymore."

Chen Tianheng: "Then, did you express your position on the spot?"

He Zhonghan: "I said I wanted to go back and think about it. But Nikulin said he had consulted with the military academy and Zhou Enlai, director of the 1st Army's political department, and that the party organization would officially assign me to study at the Soviet Intelligence School."

There were two ways for Whampoa cadets to join the Party: one was through the public, through Yun Daiying, the Young Military Officers Association, and the other was through Chen Tianheng. He Zhonghan joined through Yun Daiying, so everyone knew he was a member of the Communist Party.

Chen Tianheng: "If Nikulin goes directly through the organizational channel, then you may have to obey the organization's arrangements."

"It's not that I don't like intelligence work, it's just that I feel more comfortable working in the 1st Regiment. Besides, I really don't think I have any talent for intelligence work."

Chen Tianheng: "Nikulin might have said this as a compliment, or he might have been trying to convince you. The fundamental reason is simply this: you carried Chiang Kai-shek back from the battlefield."

He Zhonghan: "This reason?"

"Yes, that's the reason. You saved Chiang Kai-shek's life, so the Soviet Union wants to train you as an intelligence talent. Chinese people are sentimental. From now on, even if you do something that slightly attracts attention, when you report it to Chiang Kai-shek, his first thought will be, 'How could that be? He Zhonghan saved my life,' and he won't have any doubts about your loyalty. You see, isn't this the most reliable disguise?"

He Zhonghan: "So that's how it is."

Chen Tianheng: "So, imagine if you were to work alongside Chiang Kai-shek in the future and secretly pass on some secret information. Would you be able to get over this mentally?"

He Zhonghan: "We can get through this, but why would the Soviet Union do this? Chiang Kai-shek now highly appreciates the Soviet system and Soviet advisers. Well, perhaps the Soviet Union has already considered the possibility of Chiang Kai-shek's betrayal of the revolution, just as you said in the small-scale discussion at the War Research Association. No, no, no, if that were the case, it might really be dangerous for me to be around him..."

Chen Tianheng: "You're overthinking it. The Soviet Union hasn't considered that scenario yet. They envision using you in this way: Chiang Kai-shek is in their camp, and the Soviets just need a spy to keep an eye on his every move. The Soviets haven't considered any other scenario. If Chiang Kai-shek defected, you wouldn't be assigned to his side. And Chiang Kai-shek certainly wouldn't want someone who studied or learned intelligence in the Soviet Union to work by his side."

Chapter 71

The decision to send He Zhonghan to the Soviet Union for further studies was quickly made by the Huangpu Party League branch.

Of course he couldn't leave now. The intelligence school would start in June, so He Zhonghan could still stay in the country for half a year.

At the intelligence school, Soviet instructors taught these Chinese students how to collect intelligence, how to transmit intelligence, as well as disguise, secret writing, tracking, eavesdropping, unhandling, unlocking, photography, marksmanship, fighting, assassination, blasting... and other special agent skills.

"He Zhonghan, you've performed very well in the army. Although your position is only a Party representative, you personally commanded troops during the Eastern Expedition and fought quite well. You're a cadre with both military and political excellence. Now that the Party organization has decided to send you to study in the Soviet Union, it's indeed a change of direction, rendering your previous work experience ineffective."

Huangpu Party League branch secretaries Yun Daiying, Xiao Chunv, and Xiong Xiong talked with He Zhonghan.

He Zhonghan: "Regimental Commander Chen Tianheng said that Party representatives are not supervisors of troops at all levels, but should be joint decision-makers and participants in combat command. Therefore, Party representatives of the First Regiment must possess military leadership skills. ... Developing in a new direction is a personal challenge, and if successful, it will undoubtedly be very exciting. I obey the organization's work arrangements for me. I also look forward to creating miracles in my new field."

Xiao Chunv: "In the army, the most important characteristic of a team is directness. When there's a battle, you march. When there's a charge, you charge. When your superiors give orders, you obey. After studying intelligence science in the Soviet Union, you'll have to make changes in all aspects. In the future, when you work in intelligence, many things won't be straightforward, but roundabout. This is completely different from when you were in the army. In your previous work as a company party representative, you never did things this way. Even the commander of the first regiment, Chen Tianheng, was straightforward."

He Zhonghan pursed his lips: "Yes, yes, we are all straightforward now."

He Zhonghan just kept his thoughts to himself.

What is straight forward...

He Zhonghan joined the party very early. When the first term of Whampoa Military Academy started and Jiang Xianyun's Young Soldiers Association was established, He Zhonghan was among the first to join the Youth Army Association and the first to join the party.

However, He Zhonghan was also the first to raise questions to the Party organization and openly debate with it, including with Yun Daiying, Xiong Xiong, and Xiao Chunv.

If Chen Tianheng and Jiang Xianyun had not "expanded" the number of people including He Zhonghan and Hu Zongnan after meeting Mao Runzhi, and had not brought He Zhonghan into the belief center for in-depth talks, He Zhonghan might have already quit the party.

So don't talk about being straightforward. He Zhonghan, like Chen Tianheng, also has a lot of secrets in his mind.

Xiong Xiong: "Chen Tianheng was very good at training and managing the army. He was also very fierce in battle. During the first Eastern Expedition, he made the first contribution in the Battle of Mianhu. During the second Eastern Expedition, a single regiment defeated 3,000 enemy troops in a single afternoon and rescued the 3rd Division. Secretary Yun has spoken with this comrade, right?"

Yun Daiying: "Ahem, we did."

Xiao Chunv: "I also had a private chat with him. He was very friendly to our Huangpu Party League branch and maintained a good personal relationship with Jiang Xianyun and Chen Geng, but he just wouldn't submit his application to join the Party."

Yun Daiying: "My idea is not to rush. Everything will fall into place naturally in the future. So, Lao Xiao and Lao Xiong, you guys should stop pestering me every day."

……

Guangzhou City.

By December, the troops of the Second Eastern Expedition had returned to Guangzhou. The Southern Expeditionary Force also captured Qinzhou, completely expelling Deng Benyin from mainland Guangdong, leaving only Hainan Island. The Nationalist government essentially controlled the entire Guangdong province.

Under this situation, Chiang Kai-shek held a ceremony to establish the National Revolutionary Army with great fanfare.

Although the 1st Army was officially organized before the Eastern Expedition, a ceremony must be held today.

"stand at attention!"

"Look to the right! Look forward!"

The First Regiment represented the First Division, and the Fourth Regiment of the Second Division represented the Second Division. More than two thousand to nearly three thousand people were on the large playground of Guangdong University, in neat military attire, with their peaked caps lined up in rows horizontally and vertically.

"The one standing at the head of the first group is Captain Chen Tianheng, right?"

On the rostrum, Wang Jingwei asked the secretary beside him.

"Yes. At the head of the first regiment is Chen Tianheng, the regimental commander; second is Jiang Xianyun, the party representative; third is Zuo Quan, the chief of staff; and behind them are Xu Xiangqian, the commander of the first battalion; Chen Geng, the commander of the second battalion; and Du Yuming, the commander of the third battalion. These are all Chiang Kai-shek's direct subordinates."

Wang Jingwei: "I can see that this group of officers must be Chiang Kai-shek's good students. If nothing else, just look at their uniforms."

Wang Jingwei was a person who paid attention to details. He could tell at a glance that Chen Tianheng and other officers, like Chiang Kai-shek, were dressed neatly and cleanly, and their belts and gun belts were not only wiped but also oiled. Another particularly obvious feature was that everyone had ironed the seams of their trousers.

He is indeed Chiang Kai-shek's direct descendant.

What Wang Jingwei didn't know was that the military appearance requirements weren't actually Chiang Kai-shek's order; it was Chen Tianheng who had first proposed them after the War Research Society joined. Huangpu's housekeeping regulations, inherited from the Soviet Army, were already quite strict. Chen Tianheng added many more requirements based on the Soviet Army's housekeeping regulations. One of them was that unless training, uniforms had to be neatly dressed. Uniforms had to be cleaned and ironed.

Xu Xiangqian once thought Chen Tianheng was too conceited, but Chen Tianheng overrode Xu Xiangqian's dissent and urged him to put charcoal in the iron every day and iron the clothes with a sizzling sound before stopping.

This is also one of the reasons why Chiang Kai-shek later had such a good impression of the officers from the War Research Society.

"Chairman Wang, Chiang Kai-shek now commands a school and an army. Leveraging this military capital, as well as the merits of his two Eastern Expeditions, his strength and military and political prestige are extremely high and are still on the rise. If this continues, it's only a matter of time before Chiang Kai-shek covets our Party's power."

Wang Jingwei's secretary whispered in his ear.

"Of course I know that," Wang Jingwei said. "Who doesn't want to be in power? Everyone does. But Chiang Kai-shek is just a military man. No one in the party would agree to a military man taking charge. Besides, Chief Advisor Ji Shangjia is different from Galen. Ji Shangjia is limiting Chiang Kai-shek's room for advancement."

Secretary: "It seems that we need to communicate with General Counsel Ji Shanjia."

……

General Galen, the chief military adviser of the Guangzhou National Government, returned to the Soviet Union.

Because he fell ill.

Garen hated Guangzhou's winters; they were scorching hot. Sometimes the temperature would drop for a few days, and it would feel a bit cooler, but the next day, the weather would clear up and the scorching sun would shine down, and it would be hot again.

Galen fell ill once last winter, and he fell ill again at the beginning of this winter. His condition was even worse than last year, so he had to report and return to the Soviet Union for treatment.

I'd better go to Vladivostok. Just seeing the snow will probably make me half better.

Galen's successor as military advisor was Nikolai Kuibyshev, the younger brother of Valerian Kuibyshev, Chairman of the Central Control Committee of the Soviet Communist Party. Kishanka's military experience was somewhat inferior to Galen's, having served as Deputy Commander of the Turkestan Front in the Soviet Red Army in 1924.

After Ji Shanjia arrived in Guangzhou, his style of doing things was completely different from that of General Galen.

"Welcome General Counsel Ji Shanjia to Huangpu to inspect our party's officer school and party army!"

He Yingqin, the chief instructor of Huangpu and commander of the 1st Division, and several Huangpu leaders lined up to welcome Ji Shangjia's arrival.

"Welcome Secretary Chen! Hello, hello."

Among those who accompanied Ji Shangjia on the inspection was Chen Yannian, Secretary of the Guangdong District Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Ji Shanjia: "Isn't Principal Chang at the military academy today?"

He Yingqin: "The president is in Guangdong today to attend a workers' and peasants' conference. He has conveyed that he is busy with official duties and cannot personally receive the general consultant and his party. He kindly asks for apology."

Chen Yannian served as the translator. After conveying Ji Shangjia's reply, he said to He Yingqin: "Comrade General Advisor wants to personally inspect the First Army of the National Revolutionary Army."

At Dongying on Changzhou Island, the headquarters of the 1st Division, soldiers from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regiments are nearing the end of their morning exercises.

"Everyone, set—go!"