Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

"Is it that exaggerated?"

"I'm not kidding you."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

Wei Hongjun understood Wang Qiuyun's distress.

Before the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army, the two men were merely battalion commander and battalion instructor, both considered grassroots commanders and combatants. Their sole responsibility was training the troops and fighting the battles. Other duties were naturally handled by other departments. Base area construction was handled by the local Party committee, while troop logistics and recruitment were each handled by their own organizations.

Furthermore, both men came from rural areas in western Fujian and had learned to read in the army, so their education was limited. Wei Hongjun, having been transferred to a political cadre position, read more books and focused more on academic studies. Wang Qiuyun, however, was a skilled fighter, particularly skilled at luring the enemy. He gained considerable fame during the battles in the Soviet areas. Even the regimental commanders knew Wang Qiuyun's name. If it weren't for the Long March, Wang Qiuyun would have become a regimental commander. Because of this, he had previously focused his primary attention on studying warfare, never once caring about such trivial matters.

However, within the current Shengxian base, two people hold the highest military and political positions. Because the Shengxian local Party committee is limited in power, the current situation is that two people are responsible for everything. Wang Qiuyun is undoubtedly unsure.

"Old Wang, the two of us are far away from the main force now. We're doing a lot of things for the first time, but we have to do them. If we don't understand something, we can learn it as we go. You have pressure, and I have pressure too. But as long as the two of us can handle the pressure, we will definitely be able to make a breakthrough in Sheng County."

Wei Hongjun kept encouraging Wang Qiuyun.

Wei Hongjun, after all, had the memory of later generations and understood the trajectory of the Anti-Japanese War. He knew the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region would soon be established, and the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Base would be incorporated into it, so he felt relatively confident. But Wang Qiuyun truly knew nothing.

I was really confused to be independently responsible for opening up a new anti-Japanese base and facing so many problems at once.

Wei Hongjun couldn't let Wang Qiuyun lose confidence. Wang Qiuyun was a skilled warrior, a brilliant fighter. During the Soviet period, when the troops needed to lure the enemy, even the corps leaders, despite being a mere battalion commander, would always think of him first. With just a few hundred men, Wang Qiuyun could disguise himself as a Red Army division, a truly brilliant move.

Wei Hongjun believed that with Wang Qiuyun's ability, she would definitely shine on the anti-Japanese battlefield.

"Hey, now you're here. I feel much better now, talking to you. Come on, tell me, how's the situation in Caoyangzhuang?

Teacher Li said it was too simple.

"Principal Yang has agreed to serve as the head of the rent and interest reduction working group and has also agreed to reorganize the Caoyangzhuang guerrilla unit into an independent unit of the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Army. Principal Yang, Teacher Li, and I have discussed implementing rent and interest reductions in Shengxian Districts 3, 4, and 5 first. We'll assess the results, train cadres, and then, once a foundation is established, roll it out countywide. At the same time, we'll quickly establish the district government offices for Shengxian Districts 3, 4, and 5."

"Great."

Wang Qiuyun said happily, "I heard from Teacher Li that the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas have a large number of men and are well-equipped. If we can bring them under the command of our guerrilla army, our guerrilla army's strength will be taken to the next level. An independent unit of 300 men is almost the strength of a battalion."

"I spoke with Li Wanfu, the deputy captain of the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas and the man actually in charge of their training. You should have heard from Teacher Li that he was a former officer in the Northeast Army and a battalion commander there, having graduated from the Northeast Military Academy. I spoke with him in detail. He was captured by our army during the Battle of Zhiluo Town and has a deep understanding of our forces. From what I see in him, he seems to have a good impression of our army. As long as we treat him sincerely, he should be able to join our Eighth Route Army."

"These officers, who graduated from regular military academies, have decent military qualities. Comrade Zhang Dahu has recently been in charge of training the troops, and I think he's quite capable. We're both independents, but when it comes to training troops, these guys are really good.

If Li Wanfu really wants to join our Eighth Route Army, it will be a great thing for our guerrilla army."

Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun both came from humble backgrounds and learned military training and warfare slowly in the army.

It's a wild way.

Zhang Dahu and Li Wanfu, on the other hand, received formal training in military academies. Therefore, they all had a formal basis for military training. This was an advantage for graduates of formal military academies. Of course, when it came to warfare, some graduates of formal military academies, and indeed the entire national army, favored a rigid approach. In contrast, those who came from unconventional backgrounds, such as Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun, were less bound by rules and regulations, and their tactics and strategies were more flexible.

That's why Wang Qiuyun welcomed Li Wanfu's arrival.

"Li Wanfu wanted us to provide him with a political cadre and three grassroots commanders. I agreed. I promised to provide him with a political cadre and three grassroots commanders."

"Old Wei, how can I spare anyone right now?"

Wang Qiuyun had a headache.

The guerrilla army was also extremely short of grassroots talent. Not to mention grassroots commanders, even veterans were scarce. Now that four more men had to be sent to the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas, how could Wang Qiuyun not be worried?

"No matter what, this requirement must be met. Since the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas are to be reorganized into an independent unit under our guerrilla army, they should gradually accept the discipline of the Eighth Route Army. Moreover, the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas are an important fighting force, but they are seriously lacking in grassroots officers. We sent four people, but what we got was a combat-capable unit.

Furthermore, sending a political officer would allow this unit to be reorganized into our Eighth Route Army as quickly as possible."

"Whatever you say makes sense."

Wang Qiuyun sighed.

He said, "Who are you going to let go? The Caoyangzhuang guerrillas have more people than the average reinforced company. The importance of political cadres is unquestionable."

"Comte, I think Comte is suitable."

"No, Conde can't. The special forces are now the dagger of the guerrilla army, and Conde is the captain of the special forces. If you transfer Conde away, what will happen to the special forces?"

Wang Qiuyun shook her head.

Among the current guerrilla army officers, Kong De was the most stable and highly regarded. Gao Wei was brave but lacked composure and needed some polish. Tao Laifeng was steady, but too steady to be effective in commanding the guerrilla army's elite offensive forces, such as the Special Forces.

Only Kong De is both civil and military, and is good at attacking and defending.

"Old Wang, I've considered the situation of our guerrilla army. If you want to do political work in an unfamiliar army, you must be both civil and military. The people we send out must demonstrate the spirit of the Eighth Route Army. Kong De is the most suitable. He can fight and do ideological work. Before the army was reorganized, he was also a company instructor. Many of the guerrillas in Caoyangzhuang are educated students, and even some of the farmers who joined later can read. If you don't have any skills, how can you control them and do political work for them?"

"What about the secret service?"

"You or the Chief of Staff will temporarily serve as captain of the special forces team. Ruan Shuiyong, the instructor of the recruit team, Zeng Guosheng, the deputy captain of the guard team, and Bai Shuyong, the captain of the first squad of the first team, will all be assigned to the Caoyangzhuang guerrilla unit."

"You."

Wang Qiuyun shook her head and said, "You're trying to rip my heart out. I was planning to have Ruan Shuiyong be the captain of the new recruits and transfer Wang Quan to be the captain of the district squad. He'll later be the captain of the county brigade."

"We can't help it. We're short of manpower. We can overcome this. As long as we fight a few more battles, we'll definitely be able to train more grassroots commanders and veterans. By the way, didn't Teacher Li tell you about the annihilation of Baldy Pan?"

"Yes. I've already sent people to investigate the situation. Twenty days. I need twenty days to train the troops and understand Baldy Pan's situation. After twenty days, I will personally lead the troops to eliminate Baldy Pan."

After listening to Li Shiping's introduction, Wang Qiuyun realized that killing Pan Tuzi would win the hearts and minds of the people in Songjiazhuang and the surrounding villages. If Zhangjiagou Village was the largest village in Shengxian District 3, then Songjiazhuang was the largest village in Shengxian District 4, and Caoyangzhuang was the core of Shengxian District 5.

"Then I'll talk to Conde and the others."

"It can only be this way."

Chapter 034 Rural Training Institute

"Kong De, the commander and I trust you, so we sent you to the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas. Once you're there, you must respect Principal Yang and the deputy guerrilla leader, Li Wanfu. Don't speak carelessly after you arrive. First, understand the guerrillas' situation before you begin your work. You're a veteran Red Army soldier and have served as a company instructor before, so you should know what to do."

"Commissar, I understand."

Kong De was not very willing to change from the captain of the most powerful main force of the guerrilla army, the special forces team, to the political cadre of the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas. After all, the current special forces team was strong in men and horses, with both men and guns.

Originally, Kong De hoped to lead the special forces team to fight a few more tough battles with the Japanese army.

But he was sent to the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas.

However, Kong De was a calm person, so even though he felt a little regretful, he still accepted the order.

"Their deputy guerrilla captain, Li Wanfu, graduated from the Northeast Military Academy and was once a battalion commander in the Northeast Army. His military theory is undoubtedly superior to ours. When you go there, learn from him. Also, introduce him to the policies of the Eighth Route Army and try to get him to join and become our comrade. Of course, in addition to our Party's policies, you can also discuss the strategies and tactics of the Eighth Route Army with him. You can learn from each other and make progress together."

"Yes."

"And the three of you. You are all veterans of the Long March. Now that you have arrived at the Caoyangzhuang guerrilla unit, you must keep a low profile. You must not only train the soldiers, but also care for them, unite them, and make them understand why they are fighting. Transform them from students and peasants into qualified soldiers of our Eighth Route Army."

"Yes, Commissar."

Wei Hongjun chose veteran Red Army soldiers with strong political integrity.

The purpose was to work for the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas and make them a real Eighth Route Army unit.

time flies.

It seemed like I had done nothing, but time flew by, and before I knew it, it was the end of October 37.

Yang Yonghui quickly selected 26 students, and Li Shiping from the guerrilla army also sent 18 people, for a total of 44 students. One of them was a rural Party member, which was rare in Sheng County.

Wei Hongjun opened a very simple land training school in Caoyangzhuang.

Wei Hongjun personally served as the teacher.

When Wei Hongjun was lecturing, Yang Yonghui sat in the audience. He also wanted to know how Wei Hongjun, an Eighth Route Army cadre, would explain the rent and interest reductions. The same was true for the students in the audience.

They were also very curious about the Eighth Route Army.

During the Great Revolution, the Party's growth in northern China was rapid. However, after the Revolution's failure, the Party's presence in the north was severely damaged. While the revolution was raging in the south, the north was relatively quiet. This was particularly true in Yan Xishan's Shanxi province, where the Party's influence was even smaller than in Shaanxi, Shandong, and Hebei. Their impression of the Red Army was little different from the Li Zicheng and Hong Xiuquan figures they had heard of before.

It was not until the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War that Shanxi students and people began to rediscover the Eighth Route Army.

In front, the 115th Division won a great victory at Pingxingguan, and in the back, the Zhangjiagou Village guerrillas won a series of victories. When the main forces were defeated, the Eighth Route Army began to advance behind enemy lines and frequently came into contact with the people of Shanxi.

So these students also began to be curious about the Eighth Route Army.

Wei Hongjun was about to give a lecture, and they all wanted to see how the Eighth Route Army taught. Wei Hongjun looked at the people below, and a sense of pride surged in his heart. These people were currently just students and peasant activists, but with a period of training, they would become qualified rural cadres and the backbone of future base area construction.

So Wei Hongjun also made a lot of preparations for this class.

"Since the Opium War, our country has suffered unprecedented humiliation. Men of insight have sought ways to enrich the country and strengthen its military. After the Opium War, enlightened ministers within the Qing Dynasty believed that our country was bullied by the foreign powers because our weapons and machinery were inferior to theirs. So they launched the Westernization Movement, hoping to import the foreign powers' machinery and develop our industry. The result was the disastrous defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War, which foreshadowed the failure of the 30-year Westernization Movement."

"The defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War prompted insightful individuals in the Qing Dynasty to reflect and seek a way to save the nation. Later, Kang Youwei and others concluded that simply importing foreign machinery wasn't enough; they needed to learn from their systems. They wanted to emulate Japan's Meiji Restoration, leading to the famous Hundred Days' Reform. However, the reform failed within a hundred days, hence the name 'Hundred Days' Reform.'"

"Although the Hundred Days' Reform failed, its influence remained. Later, the reformists sought to implement constitutionalism within the Qing dynasty and continue to learn from foreign systems, but they were unsuccessful. At this time, the revolutionaries, led by Premier Sun, believed that overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing a republic was the only way to save China and bring prosperity. Following the Xinhai Revolution, China entered the Republic of China, establishing a so-called republican state. However, this year is the 26th year of the Republic of China, and for the past 26 years, China has continued to be mired in warlord warfare, with the people living in dire straits."

"From Lin Zexu during the Opium War to Premier Sun, they were all China's most intelligent people. But why, a hundred years after the Opium War, is our country still impoverished and weak, the people still living in poverty, warlords still everywhere, and still suffering from Japanese invasion?"

Wei Hongjun actually didn't want to go so far.

But many of the people here today are students. Wei Hongjun, having been a student himself, understands better than anyone the thoughts of these freshly graduated students. He must speak in a grand manner about them.

So Wei Hongjun briefly reviewed China's modern history.

Gave students something to think about.

"Because they all overlooked the most important thing."

"Teacher Wei, what is that?"

Some students are at the stage of making their own decisions, and of course they are very interested to hear Wei Hongjun discuss such a big thing.

"The countryside, they all ignore it. They forget that our country is an agricultural country, a country where farmers account for more than 90% of the population. So if you want to understand our country, if you want to solve our country's problems, then you can't avoid the countryside. To study China, you must study China's countryside, study China's farmers, who are the largest group. Some of you here are from the countryside, and some are city students. But no matter where you come from, as long as you want to understand China and want to find a way to save the country, then you must first understand China's countryside. If you can't understand China's countryside, then you can't truly understand China. If you don't understand China, how can you talk about saving China?"

"For nearly a hundred years, our country's intellectuals have focused their attention on cities, forgetting our own situation. They've forgotten that our country is an agricultural nation, primarily populated by farmers. They've learned from the United States, Europe, and the Soviet Union, but in all their efforts, their focus has always been fixed on cities. They've forgotten that these countries are industrialized nations, primarily cities, while ours is an agricultural nation, primarily agriculture. Industrial and agricultural nations are two completely different situations, but many intellectuals have forgotten this."

"Only by resolving the vast majority of China's peasant problems, the rural land problem, can we say we have found the path to prosperity and strength for China, the true path to national salvation. So what you need to learn now is to study rural issues and solve them."

Chapter 035 Rural Training Institute 2

"Teacher Wei, you're indeed looking at it from a different perspective. But cities are the centers of economics, politics, and talent."

"you're right."

Wei Hongjun likes these students asking questions very much.

Because they are willing to ask questions, it means that they have begun to think about the problem.

Wei Hongjun responded enthusiastically, "Cities are indeed centers of economic, political, and talent. Especially for industrial powers, the importance of cities cannot be emphasized enough. But we are an agricultural country, where over 90% of the population are farmers. This makes our cities a particularly large burden. In a normal industrial country, the countryside should provide raw materials and food, and urban factories should provide industrial products to the countryside. This cycle is what makes a normal economy. But our country is different."

"Our country is an agricultural nation, dominated by agriculture. Thousands of years of small-scale peasant economy have ensured that rural areas have always been self-sufficient. Furthermore, rural China is very poor and lacks the capacity to absorb industrial products. This has led to a near-severance between urban and rural areas. Cities only extract from the countryside, but they have little influence over it. In other words, our cities are a burden to the countryside, not a helper. Therefore, no matter how we address urban issues, it will be of no use to rural China. Think of the Xinhai Revolution: besides the color of the imperial banners on the city walls changing, did the vast rural areas really change? Did the peasants even know what the Xinhai Revolution was about? Can a country become rich and strong if rural areas, which comprise over 90% of the population, remain unchanged? But consider this from another perspective: if rural areas, which comprise over 90% of the population, undergo significant change and development, what impact would that have on the entire country? Rural development, along with farmers' wealth, will allow them to consume industrial products. This will allow urban factories to sell their products, generating profits. With the money, factories will continue to develop industry and expand production, and urban industry will follow suit."

"Now, let's talk about it: Is rural area important?"

The room was quiet.

This is the first time that everyone has heard of rural issues from this perspective.

Some scholars had spoken about rural issues before, but they often focused on the poverty of the peasants. Wei Hongjun was the first to address the issue of rural and national development.