Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

The entire Eighth Route Army knew how strong the Eighth Column was. The Eighth Column had six main regiments and a large number of local troops.

Although the 8th Column has been fighting independently in the past two years.

However, the Eighth Column carried out all the orders from the First Division to the letter. This was because, despite its rapid development, the Eighth Column was still a unit under the First Division. However, if the Eighth Column split into two military divisions, it would at least be on equal footing with the First Division in name only.

Later, when the division gave them orders, they would sometimes obey them for the sake of their old leader. But it was completely different from before.

Yang Quanwu said nonchalantly, "Commander, why should I be reluctant to do this? If the separation of the Eighth Column is good for their development and for the development of our Jin-Cha-Ji region, then I should support it."

"it is good."

Why did Marshal Nie always support Yang Quanwu when he had conflicts with others?

That is, Yang Quanwu can see further than other generals.

Understand the grand strategy.

"However, Commander, I hope that when the new military sub-districts are established this time, the other military sub-districts will not divert their main force regiments. Their current base is subject to constant raids by the 2nd and 9th Independent Mixed Brigade of the Mongolian Army, as well as the 15th and 16th Independent Mixed Brigades stationed in Peking. Furthermore, their base is located along the Pingsui Road. Judging by the Japanese army's current construction of emplacements, they have an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Japanese and puppet troops deployed along the Pingsui Road. The 8th Column is under tremendous pressure. Adjusting their forces at this time will affect their ability to establish a base in Chahar."

"I can guarantee this. When the Fifth Division was established, the 19th Regiment had just been transferred from the Eighth Column, so they won't do anything like this anytime soon. After the Military Region holds its Party Committee meeting, I'll call Yan'an and headquarters to get their approval."

Chapter 313 Chen Jiageng's Shock

In December 1939, when the anti-mopping-up campaign was in full swing in the Shanxi-Chahar-Yihe Military Region, the leader of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, Chen Jiageng, came to Yan'an by car from Xi'an.

After the Eighth Column killed two Japanese major generals, Chen Jiageng and Zhuang Xiyan decided to send someone to China. They wanted them to help investigate the situation there. They wanted to see what the Nationalist government in Chongqing was like, and also to see what the Chinese Communist Party, which the Nationalist government called "monsters," was like. They also wanted to, if possible, mediate relations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party on behalf of overseas Chinese worldwide, to prevent conflicts between them at this time.

So they immediately held a meeting to elect representatives to return home.

But when I was ready to return home, I found that it was not so easy.

Originally, Chen Jiageng had never thought about coming to China in person.

At 67, he was already quite old, and his health was not good. He couldn't sit still for long periods of time. Furthermore, as a Fujian native, he spoke only Minnan dialect, not Mandarin. The first requirement for the delegation was that they could speak Mandarin so they could communicate with others back home. However, the Nanyang Chinese delegation returning to China was met with difficulties by the Kuomintang Consul General in Singapore.

At first, they were prevented from returning to China, and later they had to review the list of people returning to China, etc.

Furious, Chen Jiageng personally led his men back to China. The KMT Consul General in Singapore was reluctant to confront the representatives of the returning delegation, but he didn't dare to challenge Chen Jiageng, a leading overseas Chinese leader. After Chen Jiageng decided to return, things went much more smoothly. However, due to delays, it was already October 1939 before Chen Jiageng led his men back to China.

However, this was nearly half a year earlier than the historical situation when Chen Jiageng returned to China to investigate the War of Resistance.

It can be said that Wei Hongjun, this little butterfly, has begun to influence Chen Jiageng.

This enabled Chen Jiageng to return to China for investigation six months earlier.

After returning to China and arriving in Chongqing, Chen Jiageng was not overjoyed, but rather in a bad mood. Although Chen Jiageng was a wealthy man in Southeast Asia, and even a world-class tycoon at his peak, he always lived a very frugal life.

He used the money he saved to support education and the anti-Japanese war.

But in Chongqing, he saw what luxury was.

The daily banquets weren't exactly delicacies, but they were certainly extravagant. Chiang Kai-shek valued Chen Jiageng highly, believing him to be the God of Wealth. Since the July 7 Incident, the Nationalist government's wartime finances had relied heavily on donations from overseas Chinese.

One can imagine the support that overseas Chinese gave to China during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, or one can see the contribution that overseas Chinese made to China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Among these donations, donations from overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia accounted for 80% to 90%.

Chen Jiageng was a leader of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, and even a leader of overseas Chinese worldwide. For Chiang Kai-shek, such a God of Wealth must be treated well.

Therefore, a special approval of 80,000 yuan for the reception was granted. Unfortunately, Chen Jiageng was very angry when he saw such an extravagant reception.

Later, when he heard that the reception fee was 80,000 yuan, he was not grateful but became furious.

Simply saying that an airplane costs 100,000 yuan doesn't mean you're spending the entire airplane.

Later, he realized it wasn't just Chiang Kai-shek who was extravagant during his reception. The high-ranking officials in Chongqing were even more extravagant when they hosted him. Chiang Kai-shek had learned that Chen Jiageng lived a simple life, so he reduced the cost of the reception to 80,000 yuan. The other high-ranking officials in Chongqing didn't care, and each one was more lavish than the other when hosting Chen Jiageng.

Because they also took a fancy to the financial strength of overseas Chinese and wanted to make a fortune from Chen Jiageng and his group. Moreover, the venues where those banquets were held were all very luxurious villa areas in Chongqing. Even the world's richest people like Chen Jiageng could not afford such luxury.

Seeing this situation, Chen Jiageng sent people to inquire about the situation in Chongqing.

The result of his inquiry made him very angry, because despite the fierce fighting on the front line, the senior officials in Chongqing were dancing as they should, holding banquets as they should, without delaying their lives at all.

This was unacceptable to Chen Jiageng.

They constantly complained about financial difficulties and the lack of food for the frontline troops. Yet, these high-ranking officials in the rear feasted, drank, and reveled without a trace of financial need. These overseas Chinese saved and savoured their savings to support the war of resistance at home. In Chen Jiageng's view, this money wasn't being used to fight on the front lines, but rather to feast, revel, and revel.

How could this make him happy?

So after staying in Chongqing for a month, he began to investigate the situation on the front lines, and finally arrived in Yan'an via Xi'an.

From a distance, I saw a large number of people welcoming us.

Chen Jiageng's face darkened immediately. Seeing so many people coming to greet him in Chongqing, he initially thought they were welcoming the overseas Chinese. But later in Chongqing, he realized that they were simply treating the overseas Chinese like money bags.

Now seeing the same welcoming scene in Yan'an, Chen Jiageng was certainly not satisfied.

After getting off the bus, he politely saluted the crowd welcoming him. Wu Yuzhang, Gao Zhili, Xiao Jinguang, and others served as representatives to greet Chen Jiageng and his group. Chen Jiageng delivered a speech at the welcoming ceremony.

He said that the purpose of his return to China was, first, to comfort the soldiers and civilians at the front, and second, to inspect the construction situation in the rear.

Finally, he emphasized that the primary concern of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia was domestic unity. He believed that the Kuomintang and the Communist Party should eliminate all friction, collaborate regardless of party affiliation, and unite to resist Japan. Although Chen Jiageng was deeply dissatisfied with Chongqing, he believed that Chongqing was, after all, the legitimate and most powerful government in China. China's war of resistance should be led by Chongqing.

So although he was not satisfied with his trip to Chongqing, he still stressed unity and hoped that Yan'an would obey Chongqing's orders and unite to resist Japan.

After the welcome ceremony, Wu Yuzhang brought Chen Jiageng and his party to their residence.

"Mr. Chen, please forgive me for my simple living conditions."

Wu Yuzhang spoke to Chen Jiageng in a very friendly manner.

In fact, Chen Jiageng's accommodation was arranged in a social center outside Yan'an City, which was the best place in Yan'an. But compared to the city, it was really a very simple place. Chen Jiageng shook his head and said, "It's okay, it's okay. I want to ask, what are my arrangements in Yan'an?"

"Mr. Chen, Comrade Zhu Jiande will accompany you to visit our Women's University tomorrow and meet Comrade Li Desheng in the afternoon.

"it is good."

Very poor.

The next day, the commander-in-chief personally accompanied Chen Jiageng to Yan'an Women's University.

Along the way, Chen Jiageng's impression of Yan'an was that it was poor. The people there wore hand-me-down clothes, and supplies were scarce. Compared to Chongqing, Yan'an really felt like a small, rural place. However, Yan'an was clean, and more importantly, everyone seemed energetic.

Moreover, the interactions between soldiers, officials, students, businessmen, and civilians are very different.

Chen Jiageng couldn't confirm exactly what was different at the moment.

But it's really different.

Just like Zhu Jiande, who accompanied him, Chen Jiageng knew that he was the current commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army and held a high position within the Chinese Communist Party. However, when he accompanied him, he was accompanied by only a few people, and he had no defense at all.

It is completely different from the crowds of people I saw in Chongqing.

After arriving at the Women's University, Chen Jiageng was even more satisfied. Despite the difficult circumstances, Yan'an still had a women's university. He was even more delighted to find that many overseas Chinese students attended the university.

They came to Yan'an with great enthusiasm and enrolled in the Women's University.

There were even many overseas Chinese studying in schools such as the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Public School, Youth Cadre Training Class, and Lu Xun Academy of Arts in Yan'an.

After graduation, he went to the front line of the Anti-Japanese War to fight against the Japanese invaders. Here he talked with overseas Chinese students.

He was mainly worried about the safety of these female students.

Especially since the Kuomintang has always been promoting "communism and sharing wives", he doesn't know whether it is true or whether he should believe it.

They told Chen Jiageng about their studies in Yan'an. Although Yan'an was relatively poor and materially inferior to their previous lives, they all expressed their fondness for Yan'an. They also gave Chen Jiageng their answer regarding the issue of sex. They concluded that sex relations in Yan'an were very serious, even more so than among overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.

Gender issues are a big problem in Yan'an.

After hearing their words, Chen Jiageng felt relieved and his favorable impression of Yan'an increased a lot.

After lunch, Chen Jiageng went to meet the Chairman.

The chairman was waiting for Chen Jiageng outside the room. When he saw Chen Jiageng, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Mr. Chen, I am really sorry. I should have gone to see you as soon as possible. However, I work at night, go to bed at dawn, and get up in the afternoon. Therefore, I can only see you in the afternoon. It is really rude.

"Mr. Mao, your health is important. You should change this work habit."

"It's been like this for over a decade, and I can't change it. Mr. Chen, please come in.

From the moment Chen Jiageng met the Chairman, he had been looking at the Chairman and the place where the Chairman lived.

The shock in my heart is beyond words.

While Yan'an wasn't as powerful as Chongqing, it was still the leader of a powerful faction. And it wasn't just any powerful faction; it was one that was vying for supremacy with Chiang Kai-shek. Yet, the living quarters of the most powerful figure in such a powerful faction were surprisingly simple. The cave dwelling wasn't very large, and the house contained a dozen or so wooden chairs and a typical rural table.

Then you can't see anything else.

In other words, there was nothing valuable in the whole house except a few books.

Look at the Chairman again.

He was very thin and tall. He was wearing a gray military uniform that was very old. The knees, elbows, shoulders, and other parts of the uniform were covered with patches.

The Chairman's behavior completely overturned Chen Jiageng's previous ideas.

Although he was wearing an old military uniform and his home was so simple, Chen Jiageng's first impression of the Chairman was not that bad.

Soon the two men sat down and began to talk. Since this was their first meeting, the Chairman mainly introduced Chen Jiageng to the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army. He also explained some of the current frictions between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.

When it was time for dinner, the Chairman invited Chen Jiageng to have dinner.

simple.

The staple food was "two-grain rice" mixed with rice and millet, and the vegetables were potatoes, cabbage, and peppers. The only meat dish was a bowl of chicken soup. The Chairman pointed to the food and said, "Mr. Chen, the food is simple, please bear with me. These potatoes, cabbage, and peppers are all grown by me, and they are in the yard. As for this chicken soup, it was specially contributed by a neighbor lady who knew that I had a distinguished guest and entertained Mr. Chen. I only have a five-yuan allowance, only three yuan for vegetables a month, and ten cents a day. I can't afford to buy a chicken for soup. I'm sorry, Mr. Chen. When our country has money in the future and my allowance increases, I will definitely treat Mr. Chen to something better.

It's really simple food.

In Chongqing, even the drivers assigned by the Nationalist government to drive for him would not eat such simple meals.

But Chen Jiageng didn't feel that he was being treated poorly at all.

On the contrary, I feel very comfortable.

He couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Mao, do you all grow your own vegetables?"

"Mr. Chen, we are not like Chongqing. Our troops are fighting behind enemy lines, and we have to seize all our weapons and ammunition from the Japanese and puppet troops. Not only weapons and ammunition, but even cloth and medicine need to be snatched from the enemy. If we fail to fight effectively and fail to seize these supplies, our troops will lack winter clothing and can only fight in thin clothes. Due to insufficient medicine, many wounded soldiers cannot be rescued. The same is true for food. The bases we have established behind enemy lines are often raided by Japanese and puppet troops. The Japanese and puppet troops will also come out to steal food, and our troops have to fight them to prevent them from stealing food. However, as we expand our forces behind enemy lines, the burden on the people in the base areas will also increase. So our cadres came up with a slogan, which is to make our own food. Now it's not just us. All the government agencies, school students, and military officers and soldiers have to use their free time to farm their own land. I grew all the crops in my yard myself. The other cadres are the same."

Chen Jiageng didn't know how to describe it at this time.

He hadn't expected the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army to face such difficulties. He hadn't expected that, to address material shortages, even Chairman Mao himself would cultivate the land in Yan'an. Compared to what he'd just witnessed in Chongqing, it was a world of difference.

Chen Jiageng thought of the large and small banquets in Chongqing.

The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Looking at the meal in front of him and thinking about the Eighth Route Army troops fighting behind enemy lines, Chen Jiageng didn't know what to say.

This trip to Yan'an completely overturned his understanding of Yan'an.