Courtyard House: I Rely on Time-Space Trade to Build a Nation

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the atmosphere inside the temporary regimental headquarters tent outside Zhanggezhuang Village was so heavy it seemed to drip water.

Zhao Dongliang, Zhao Pingan, Zhao Desheng, and more than ten key members of each battalion and company—Wang Dashan, Wang Dahe, Liu Dazhu, Zhang Dali, and others—filled the small tent to the brim.

Everyone's face was unusually serious. Just now, Zhao Dongliang had revealed the entire plan for today's uprising on the battlefield.

Shock, excitement, and a hint of fear of the unknown flashed across everyone's faces, but were quickly replaced by a resolute determination to go all out.

Having followed the regimental commander and Battalion Commander Zhao for the past few months, they have been well-fed and clothed, learned skills, and understood principles. They have long felt that this path is different from the one before.

Now that the moment of decision has arrived, there is a sense of relief, as if everything has finally settled.

"Did you all understand?" Zhao Dongliang looked around at everyone, his voice hoarse but carrying an iron will.

"Today, we sever all ties with the past! We will fight our way out and secure a future for all 920 brothers in our regiment!"

"Understood!" The crowd responded in unison, their voices low, their eyes blazing with determination.

Just as everyone was getting ready to split up and prepare according to plan, a series of rapid hoofbeats and commotion came from outside the tent.

A messenger, covered in dust and pale-faced, stumbled in, breathless: "Regimental...Regimental Commander! Urgent military situation! Urgent order from division headquarters!"

Zhao Dongliang's heart tightened. He took the sweat-stained paper order, quickly scanned it, and his face instantly turned ashen. He slammed the order onto the table:

"Damn it! Why did they have to come now of all times!"

When everyone gathered around to take a look, their hearts sank.

The order requires that our regiment (Sixth Regiment) immediately accelerate its advance and arrive at the designated position on the southern slope of Panshan Mountain before noon today.

They joined forces with the First and Fourth Regiments, which had already arrived, to jointly construct a defensive line and prepare to deal with possible enemy attacks.

The First Regiment is already ten miles behind your unit, and the Fourth Regiment is about fifteen miles in front of your unit.

One in front and one behind, the two groups, like two pairs of pliers, clamped the six groups in the middle!

Moreover, they were all direct subordinates of the 35th Army, especially the 1st Regiment, which was well-equipped and had priority in supplies. They were arrogant and often squeezed and exploited the 6th Regiment.

The air inside the tent seemed to have been sucked out. All plans were ruined!

Originally, they planned to launch a silent uprising at the designated location, but now they have "their own people" both in front and behind them. Any slight movement could lead to them being attacked from both sides and trapped in a desperate situation!

The faces of several company commanders turned pale, and some of them subconsciously reached for the guns at their waists.

"What's the panic!" came a sharp shout from Zhao Ping'an. He stepped forward, picked up the order, and read it carefully again. Instead of panic, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

"Brothers, everyone," Zhao Ping'an's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, "I think this is not a bad thing at all, but rather a godsend!"

"Honors?" Zhao Desheng asked, puzzled. "The front and back are blocked, how can I claim credit..."

"It's precisely because they're surrounded by 'our own people' that they're least on guard!" Zhao Ping'an interrupted him, his finger slamming heavily on the command.

"Look, the Fourth Regiment is newly formed. I heard it only has two battalions with less than 700 men. It's severely understaffed. How high can its morale be?"

They walked in front of us, their backs to us! "The First Regiment, huh?" he sneered.

"They're the elite, capable fighters, but they never imagined that their own 'family' Sixth Regiment, leading the charge, would suddenly turn around and bite them hard!"

He turned to Zhao Dongliang and said decisively, "Brother, my opinion is to turn the tables on them! We'll split into two groups. One group, led by me, will be the Third Battalion, which will catch up with the Fourth Regiment as quickly as possible. Together with our brothers who are already waiting on Panshan Mountain, we'll launch a pincer attack and quickly wipe out or even force the Fourth Regiment to surrender!"

On the other side, Battalion Commander Desheng and Company Commander Wang Dashan will lead the Second Battalion and the First Company of the First Battalion to choose advantageous terrain and hold off the First Regiment that is pursuing them! Brother, you lead the main force of the First Battalion as the general reserve, and wait for an opportunity to cooperate with Desheng and the others to counterattack and encircle the First Regiment!

This plan is audacious to the point of being breathtaking! Not only do they have to deal with two regiments simultaneously, but they also have to divide their forces to block reinforcements and launch the main attack!

Zhao Dongliang stared intently at the map, veins throbbing on his forehead. The tent was deathly silent; everyone awaited his decision.

"The first regiment behind... that's also Commander Fu's elite force, it won't be easy to fight them," a company commander said worriedly.

"Direct descendants?" Zhao Dongliang looked up abruptly, his eyes flashing with a terrifying light. He suddenly roared, "Zhao Desheng! Wang Dashan!"

"Here!" "Here!" The two men stood at attention as if by reflex.

Zhao Dongliang walked to the map and pointed to a mountain hollow marked with contour lines: "I'll reinforce you with four more Maxim guns! Your Second Battalion, a total of 260 men, are you confident you can hold off the First Regiment here for a whole day?!"

The mountain pass was narrow, with gentle slopes on both sides and a road in the middle, making it an excellent spot for ambush.

Zhao Desheng and Wang Dashan exchanged a glance, both seeing a burning fighting spirit and determination in each other's eyes.

Zhao Desheng grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth: "Commander! Just you wait and see!"

Four Maxim guns? Adding them to my original four, that's eight heavy machine guns. That's enough to give those bastards a run for their money! Don't even mention a day or two, I'll nail them to that spot!"

Wang Dashan was so excited that his face turned red: "Regimental Commander! Battalion Commander! I've long disliked those bastards in the First Regiment who are always taking advantage of us!"

Finally, I have a chance to teach these sons of bitches a lesson! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!

"Good!" Zhao Dongliang slammed his hand on the table. "I want you to set off an hour later, pretending to lag behind. When the group passes in front of you and reaches the middle of this ravine, you guys block their retreat! Coordinate with me to attack from both sides and wipe them out!"

"Haha, Commander, just you wait and see, I, Zhao Desheng, will definitely not let you down!"

"Commander, Battalion Commander, just wait for our good news!"

Zhao Dongliang nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Zhao Ping'an, his tone solemn:

"Zhao Ping'an! The Fourth Regiment is newly formed and incomplete. Do you have the confidence to cooperate with the brothers on the other side and wipe them out?!"

Zhao Ping'an snapped to attention, his voice ringing out: "Mission accomplished! Commander, rest assured, with our battalion's firepower and training, we'll be at the key location by noon. I guarantee we'll take down the Fourth Regiment before nightfall!"

"An army is raised for a thousand days, but used for only one." A similar fire burned within Zhao Ping'an. His three full-strength companies were well-equipped, rigorously trained, well-fed, and highly motivated.

If he still can't take down a newly formed regiment that is demoralized and lacking food and clothing, then Zhao Ping'an might as well give up on continuing to serve his country in the army and just go back to Beijing, donate the steel mill, and become a stable time-traveling reseller.

"Alright! It's up to you now!" Zhao Dongliang, brimming with confidence, continued to nominate his men: "Zhang Dali!"

"Here!" Zhang Dali, the 1st Company Commander of the 1st Battalion, a sturdy man, immediately stood up.

"Your company, as the reserve force of the 3rd Battalion, is ready to support Ping An at any time."

The remaining 2nd and 3rd companies of the 1st Battalion, follow me. As soon as Desheng and his men fire, we'll push forward and wipe out the First Regiment together! Damn it!

Zhao Dongliang's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "I want to see just how good this bunch who's been robbing me of supplies for months really is!"

"Yes, Commander! We guarantee to complete the mission!" The two company commanders were filled with enthusiasm and answered the order in unison.

What followed was an extremely tense and detailed simulation: marching route, engagement time, communication signals, attack initiation markers, evacuation of the wounded, and retreat plan in case of defeat... Every aspect was discussed repeatedly until everything was absolutely perfect.