Chapter 185 Li Yunlong's Gift
In a village on the edge of Linyuan County.
It was originally just an ordinary small village, but because of the war, all the people in the village had been relocated by the Eighth Route Army.
Now this village has become the temporary base of the New 1st Regiment of the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army.
After receiving the order, Ding Wei quickly led all the troops of the New 1st Regiment to the village.
As soon as the brigade headquarters issued the order to launch a general attack, he quickly led his troops to attack the transportation line occupied by the Japanese Fourth Brigade, cutting off the retreat route of the Japanese Fourth Brigade and launching an attack on the Fourth Brigade from the north.
At this moment, in a mud house in the village.
Because the Japanese Fourth Brigade changed the direction of attack, naturally, the attack plan of the New First Regiment also needed to be changed accordingly.
So at this moment, Ding Wei was assigning new combat tasks to the military commanders of the new regiment in this earthen house that served as the regiment headquarters.
Because the New 1st Regiment had just moved to this village not long ago, there were no auxiliary combat tools such as sand tables in its headquarters.
There is only one map.
Holding a pencil, Ding Wei pointed at the map and began to analyze the various attack targets and areas that needed to be defended for many military commanders.
"The Fourth Brigade of the Japanese is now located in Tongshi Town. Tongshi Town is said to be a plain, but it is actually a horseshoe-shaped basin.
To the east of Tongshi Town is Yuxi Town which is under the responsibility of the Independent Regiment, to the west is Baihuling which is under the responsibility of the Pioneer Regiment, and to the south is the New Second Regiment.
There are continuous mountains in the west and east, and a big river in the south directly separates Tongshi Town and Hegu Town.
If the Japanese Fourth Brigade wanted to break out, then its only option was to break out from the north towards Dawangzhuang.
Only the passage between the mountains here in Dawangzhuang can allow the Japanese to withdraw from Tongshi Town.
So the Japanese left a squadron of soldiers at the Dawangzhuang stronghold to protect their retreat.
Our mission is to capture the Dawangzhuang stronghold as quickly as possible after the war breaks out and completely cut off the retreat route of the Japanese Fourth Brigade.
Then, using the Dawangzhuang stronghold as a starting point, they launched an attack on the Japanese 4th Brigade from the north.
Cooperate with friendly forces to form a huge encirclement of the Japanese 4th Brigade.
If we launch an attack on Dawangzhuang, the Japanese Fourth Brigade will most likely send reinforcements to support Dawangzhuang.
According to the speed of the Japanese, if Dawangzhuang was attacked fiercely, the support troops of the Japanese Fourth Brigade could reach Dawangzhuang within two hours without any obstacles.
As for how many troops the Japanese Fourth Brigade can send to support Dawangzhuang, it depends on how the Vanguard Regiment and the Independent Regiment fight.
Even in the worst case scenario, if the Japanese prepared to break out as soon as possible and sent a regiment of Japanese soldiers to support Dawangzhuang, it would still take two hours!
As for the Japanese in the north, the 771st and 772nd Regiments will help us stop them."
"Captain of the First Battalion, I'm giving you the main mission of attacking the Dawangzhuang stronghold this time. I need you to take down the Dawangzhuang stronghold as quickly as possible.
If you can capture Dawangzhuang within two hours, I will personally go to the brigade headquarters to recommend credit for your battalion!
The Second Battalion was responsible for blocking the troops sent by the Fourth Brigade to support Dawangzhuang on the outskirts of Dawangzhuang.
I don't care how many troops the Fourth Brigade sends to support Dawangzhuang, you, the Second Battalion, must block the Japanese support troops until the First Battalion takes over Dawangzhuang!
Even if all the ammunition is used up, and we have to use knives and stones to smash the enemy, as long as the First Battalion has not taken Dawangzhuang, then you, the Second Battalion, have to hold your positions!
The third battalion served as the reserve force, and the cavalry company directly under the regiment was responsible for harassing the Japanese reinforcements..."
Ding Wei methodically distributed combat orders to the military commanders of various units in the regiment headquarters.
After assigning the last combat mission, Ding Wei looked around at everyone and spoke in a deep voice.
"Are the orders clear?!"
"Clear!"
"very good!"
Listening to everyone's answers, Ding Wei nodded with satisfaction, and then turned his gaze to the battalion commander of the first battalion.
"Captain of the First Battalion, you have to remember that in this battle, your First Battalion has the heaviest combat mission. The faster you capture Dawangzhuang, the less casualties the rest of the troops will suffer.
If the First Battalion fails to capture Dawangzhuang and the Second Battalion is exhausted, and the Japanese reinforcements arrive at Dawangzhuang and attack us from both sides... then we will no longer be able to surround the Japanese Fourth Brigade.
The Japanese 4th Brigade escaped from the encirclement, which meant that our battle this time not only achieved no results.
Moreover, all the work done by other troops to encircle and even annihilate the 4th Brigade was in vain..."
After listening to Ding Wei's words, the battalion commander of the first battalion straightened his back and spoke confidently.
"Captain, don't worry. Even if Dawangzhuang is a hard bone, I can smash it with a hammer and swallow it!"
"If I can't take Dawangzhuang within two hours, you can just withdraw me. I will personally lead the team and blow up Dawangzhuang with explosives!"
"Um……"
"Captain, Commander Li of the Independent Regiment sent an urgent telegram!"
Just as Ding Wei was about to say something, a communicator quickly ran over from next door with a telegram.
"Why did Li Yunlong send me an urgent telegram?
Could it be that the 4th Brigade has launched another attack on Yuxi Town?"
Ding Wei was stunned when he heard what the communicator said. Before Ding Wei could speak, the political commissar Zhong Zhicheng on the other side took the telegram from the communicator and handed it to Ding Wei.
Ding Wei took the telegram and immediately checked it, wanting to see what Li Yunlong had sent him.
"Ding Wei, don't say that I, Li Yunlong, don't take care of you. Last time you gave me a cavalry battalion, even though you gave me my things, I, Li Yunlong, still remember your kindness.
Now I, Li Yunlong, will give you a big gift.
There are big problems with the movements of the Japanese Fourth Brigade.
There was obviously plenty of time and opportunity to launch an attack on Hegu Town or my Yuxi Town, but the Japanese Fourth Brigade chose to rest in Tongshi Town.
Moreover, at the beginning, the 4th Brigade obviously planned to advance alone and be the first to enter Shiquan County to rescue the Yamazaki Battalion.
Then, they cooperated with the other two brigades to attack Shiquan County and Linyuan County from both inside and outside, and directly captured Linyuan County and Shiquan County, the two gateways to the Shangdang area.
However, after the Yamazaki Battalion was destroyed, the Japanese Fourth Brigade clearly had the opportunity to withdraw from Shiquan County or launch an attack on other places.
However, the Japanese Fourth Brigade chose to garrison in Tongshi Town and sent troops to re-occupy the road leading to Shiquan County.
Pinglu Yongfu is not an idiot. We have so many troops here, and we have seized so many weapons and equipment from them.
Pinglu Yongfu should understand that the Japanese soldiers who stayed near those roads, inside the artillery towers and in the middle of the strongholds could not be our opponents. We could easily recapture those strongholds and artillery towers.
Moreover, Tongshi Town is not a place suitable for defense. If it were me, I would definitely deploy my troops in Dawangzhuang or Linjiaji.
However, Pinglu Yongfu chose to station his troops in Tongshi Town for defense.
Not only that, Pinglu Yongfu also dispatched a number of troops to garrison along the roads along the way.
Logically speaking, this kind of defensive operation should be about concentrating forces rather than dispersing them.
But Pinglu Yongfu did the opposite.
My commando team just reported that a small group of Japanese invaders entered Shiquan County along the road opened up by the 4th Brigade.
So I guess that the 4th Brigade is probably not waiting for the other two brigades to enter the attack position. After all, Tongshi Town is not a place suitable for attack or defense. But Pinglu Yongfu led most of the 4th Brigade to garrison in Tongshi Town, so there must be a reason why Pinglu Yongfu had to lead most of the 4th Brigade to garrison in Tongshi Town!
I speculate that Pinglu Yongfu was most likely waiting for something else and then preparing for the attack the next day.
Ding Wei, think about it, how important would the thing you are waiting for be to make an entire brigade change its combat plan?
I guess, either, a big shot of the Japanese army is going to the 4th Brigade to command the battle.
Or, the Japanese wanted to launch an attack somewhere, and the 4th Brigade had to stay in Tongshi Town to cooperate with this attack.
But I looked at it and found that if we launch an attack from Tongshi Town, we can either cross the river to attack the ancient town, or go east to attack Yuxi Town, or go west to attack Baihuling.
It was impossible to cross the river to the south because the 4th Brigade had enough time to cross the river and attack Heguzhen at the beginning, so the Japanese target was not Heguzhen.
As for the attack on Yuxi Town...the Japanese Fourth Brigade's main attack direction was Yuxi Town at the beginning, but now it has been abandoned.
Therefore, the Japanese Fourth Brigade had only one goal, to attack Baihu Ridge!
But where is Baihuling?
Qin Yangming had been operating in Baihu Ridge for a year. Given the terrain and various fortifications in Baihu Ridge, even an eagle could not fly over Baihu Ridge.
This is how Lao Zhao commented on Baihu Ridge. I think it’s quite good, a place where even eagles and kites find it difficult to fly.
Unless this old Japanese soldier Ping Lu Yongfu's head is full of water, he would never launch an attack on Baihuling when he is surrounded by us.
So the Japanese Fourth Brigade must be waiting for something.
Or, the commander of the Japanese Fourth Brigade, Pinglu Yongfu, did not advance with the main force and is still outside. Someone else is commanding the Fourth Brigade, and Pinglu Yongfu is on his way.
Or, the Japanese wanted to transport something to Tongshi Town to assist the Fourth Brigade's attack. The Fourth Brigade of the Japanese had no shortage of equipment.
If you want to capture our defensive position as quickly as possible, you have to use dirty tricks!
Ding Wei, you should understand what I mean, go and give it a try.
You take a part of the troops to the Linjiaji stronghold to check out the situation. I will let the monk lead the assault platoon to keep an eye on it. If you are sure you want to go there, send a telegram to the monk. He has a radio.
If you can't get through, then I will let the monk withdraw.
If anything goes wrong, I, Li Yunlong, will bear all the responsibility, as evidenced by the telegram! "
Ding Wei looked at the densely written telegram paper and shook his head.
"Li Yunlong, that kid, damn it, instead of commanding his independent regiment properly, he's thinking of commanding me.
Tsk tsk tsk, it seems that the first two joint operations have made this kid Li Yunlong taste the sweetness."
"I think our Captain Li wants to be the division commander. Captain Kong's New Second Regiment is near Yuxi Town. Given the strength of Captain Kong's New Second Regiment, it is very likely that they will do things according to Li Yunlong's arrangements.
Now Captain Li wants to command our New 1st Regiment from across half the county, tut tut tut. "
Zhong Zhicheng listened to what Ding Wei said and thought of Li Yunlong's character, and couldn't help but smile and tease.
Then Zhong Zhicheng looked at Ding Wei.
Ding Wei also laughed when he heard what Zhong Zhicheng said, and then began to think about whether he should send part of the troops to take a look at the great gift that Li Yunlong mentioned.
Ding Wei still believed Li Yunlong's speculation. This kid Li Yunlong was not good in any other aspect.
But this pair of vision for fighter planes is really sharp. Generally speaking, when Li Yunlong says where to catch big fish, or where to attack to achieve greater results, nine times out of ten it is right.
So Ding Wei also started to think about it.
The Linjiaji stronghold is nearly twenty kilometers away from the Dawangzhuang stronghold.
If you want to take a part of the troops to the Linjiaji stronghold, then you must bring at least a battalion of troops.
However, the main task of the New 1st Regiment was to attack Dawangzhuang, cut off the retreat route of the Japanese 4th Brigade, and then launch an attack on the Japanese 4th Brigade from the north.
If we take away one battalion of troops, and the rest of the troops fail to stop the reinforcements of the Japanese Fourth Brigade, resulting in the first battalion being unable to successfully capture Dawangzhuang, things will be troublesome.
So Ding Wei was also struggling.
Zhong Zhicheng saw Ding Wei's conflicted expression and felt a pang in his heart.
"Captain, our mission is to capture Dawangzhuang and then attack the 4th Brigade. If we rashly send troops to the Linjiaji stronghold, and something happens in Dawangzhuang that causes the 4th Brigade to escape the encirclement, we cannot bear the responsibility!"
Zhong Zhicheng was worried that Ding Wei would rashly send troops to the Linjiaji stronghold for the great gift that Li Yunlong mentioned, so he quickly spoke to Ding Weiquan.
This battle was no small feud. The entire 129th Division was mobilized for this battle.
Even the rest of the troops provided strong support for this battle. It was because of the foreshadowing of the New 1st Regiment that the 4th Brigade broke through.
That would have serious consequences.
Moreover, the Linjiaji stronghold was the target of attack by the 772nd Regiment. If the New 1st Regiment divided its troops and attacked Linjiaji.
It is easy to interfere with the combat plan of the 772nd Regiment.
The 772nd Regiment had to resist the attack from another Japanese brigade.
By then, the combat plan of the 772nd Regiment was disrupted, allowing another brigade of the Japanese to join the 4th Brigade.
If the two brigades were combined, they would not be able to defeat so many Japanese devils.
By that time, the Japanese soldiers from the two brigades would attack everywhere. Let alone annihilating the Fourth Brigade, it would be good enough to keep Shiquan County and Linyuan County.
Ding Wei naturally understood what Zhong Zhicheng meant when he heard what Zhong Zhicheng said.
"I know, I'm just trying to find a way to have the best of both worlds, right?
That kid Li Yunlong said he would give me a big gift. It must be a big gift. If I can't get this big gift, I will be at a great loss.
Let me think about it and see if there is any way to have the best of both worlds..."
"Don't bother me, let me see..."
Ding Wei stared at the map, thinking quickly about what method he should use so as not to delay the combat mission assigned by the brigade commander and at the same time get the gift from Li Yunlong.
Ding Wei looked at the map and quickly thought of a good way to get the gift that Li Yunlong mentioned while not delaying the combat order issued by the brigade commander.
It will not interfere with the combat plans of other troops.
"Surround the area for reinforcements!"
"If it is true as Li Yunlong said, the Japanese want to send something important to Tongshi Town, then they must pass through Dawangzhuang!
At that time, we only need to set up an ambush point outside Dawangzhuang, and then ambush the Japanese on the way from Linjiaji to Dawangzhuang with those important things.
At that time, not only can we get the great gift that Li Yunlong mentioned, but we can also lure out the Japanese devils in Dawangzhuang.
I just don't believe that the Japanese in Dawangzhuang would do nothing after being ambushed by us, something that made an entire brigade wait.
At that time, as long as the Japanese soldiers in Dawangzhuang come out, we can seize this opportunity to launch an attack on Dawangzhuang.
And those Japanese soldiers who came out can also be dealt with together. Without the shelter of the Dawangzhuang stronghold, there are only one or two hundred Japanese soldiers at most in the field battle. Any battalion of our New 1st Regiment can easily wipe them out!
By then, we will have obtained the great gift and taken over Dawang Manor, killing two birds with one stone!"
(End of this chapter)
