The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

Peng Dehuai, commander of the 1st Regiment of the 35-1 Division, answered Zhou Pan in a muffled voice.

Chapter 107: Pingjiang Uprising

Peng Dehuai hung up the phone.

"This is the division commander's order. Tomorrow, the First Regiment will return to the county seat from the town. Gonglue, please arrange a plan for me."

Huang Gonglue said, "We already have a plan. We'll pack up tonight and leave at 8:00 tomorrow. We'll reach Pingjiang by morning. The 1st Division's 3rd Regiment is definitely dragging its feet. We'll be lucky if we can reach Pingjiang by tomorrow night. Once we're in the city, we'll attack everywhere, disarm the 1st Regiment, seize division headquarters, and the arsenal. Then we'll meet the 3rd Regiment in the afternoon."

Peng Dehuai: "This Chen Tianheng, is he the same Chen Tianheng we met with Mao Zedong in 23?

Huang Gonglue: “Yes.”

Peng Dehuai stroked his chin and said, "At that time, he was a student Party member of the First Division, right? The Whampoa Military Academy was truly amazing."

"I think it's not that the Whampoa Military Academy is so great, it's that Chen Tianheng is so great.

Peng Dehuai: "Did you meet Chen Tianheng when you were a student at the sixth term of the Whampoa Military Academy?

"No," Huang Gonglue shook his head. "When our sixth class reported, the Northern Expedition had already begun. Chen Tianheng and the First Division had already captured Jiujiang. All that remained in the school were the legends of Chen Tianheng and the War Research Society."

Peng Dehuai: "This War Research Society was also founded by Chen Tianheng?"

Huang Gonglue: "It was pretty much Chen Tianheng who single-handedly formed the group. They became famous after the two Eastern Expeditions, and by the Northern Expedition, they were nationally renowned. There was also the Young Soldiers' Association, but unfortunately, when I enrolled, the Young Soldiers' Association wasn't allowed to recruit new members from the cadets. By the way, I was nervous when I enrolled, wondering if I could meet the admission requirements for the War Research Society. But then, when I arrived at Whampoa Military Academy, as soon as I put down my luggage, Director Ye came up and asked, 'Who is Huang Gonglue?' and dragged me right in..."

Tang Shengzhi's Hunan 35th Army, one of the two armies split from the Eighth Army, has already appeared before.

In the first battle after Ye Ting's uprising, the 1st Division of the 35th Army was destroyed in Huangshi-Daye.

Previously, Peng Dehuai served as a battalion commander in the 3rd Division of the 35th Army. Because he favored the poor, refused to allow his subordinates to plunder the local area, and refused to exploit the soldiers' blood, he was out of place among the various units and officers of the 35th Army. His superiors had always wanted to remove him, but if they couldn't, they wouldn't allow him to be promoted. However, after the 35th-1st Division was annihilated and rebuilt, the Hunan Army was seriously short of officers. Therefore, not only was Peng Dehuai not removed from his position, but he was promoted to the commander of the 1st Regiment of the 35th-1st Division.

Zhou Pan, the commander of the 35-1st Division, also disliked Peng Dehuai, so his division headquarters was stationed in Pingjiang County together with the 2nd Regiment, and the 1st and 3rd Regiments were sent to the town below Pingjiang. This was a relatively rare deployment method.

If the division headquarters and the First Regiment were stationed together... they actually were. A few days later, Peng Dehuai's troops apprehended two officers who were exploiting small businesses on the streets of the county town. The First Regiment tied them up and whipped them. However, these officers were Zhou Pan's adjutant and the division headquarters' staff officer.

There was no other choice but to ask Peng Dehuai and his First Regiment to leave Pingjiang County and let the Second Regiment in.

At around nine or ten o'clock in the morning on July 8, there was a commotion in Pingjiang County as officers and soldiers from the First Regiment arrived.

These officers and soldiers had military orders to assemble in Pingjiang to suppress the Ye and Chen rebels, so of course they had to be allowed to proceed. The First Regiment, numbering nearly a thousand men, rushed in. At division headquarters, Zhou Pan had just received the messenger's report that the First Regiment had entered the city when the sounds of fighting and screams erupted from outside the gates.

"Who's making a noise? Who's making a commotion outside the door?

Zhou Pan said angrily.

"Commander, it's the First Division! Soldiers from the First Division are causing trouble in front of the gate!

Zhou Pan: "If anyone causes trouble, they will be arrested!

"Catch you, Zhou Pan! I've already captured your men!"

Huang Gonglue kicked open the gate and walked into the division headquarters with several soldiers.

"First, I haven't received my salary for two months, so I'm rioting. Second, sending the entire division to attack Changsha is like sending them to their deaths, and I won't do it. Third...

"Who said that? Who said that?!" Zhou Pan shouted in grievance: "I didn't ask you to die! The commander didn't say to let the First Division die! It's just that we have to move, you know, but it's not like we're going to fight!"

Huang Gonglue sneered: "You said we should move a little, and you really mean it? What if we move, and you ask us to move forward again, and then a fight breaks out, what should we do? Commander Zhou, look at your Second Regiment. When they heard what we said, they all quit. No one will be fooled.

Zhou Pan: ""By the body

Zhou Pan was apprehended by the soldiers and led out of the division headquarters. As expected, he saw groups of soldiers from the Second Regiment on the street, offering no resistance. Some were even partying with soldiers from the First Regiment.

It seems the First Regiment spread rumors that the government was sending the First Division to die, and these soldiers actually believed it...

After Pingjiang County was controlled by the First Regiment, Peng Dehuai entered the city.

"Captain Wang, right?" Peng Dehuai shouted to the commander of the Second Regiment, Wang Qixiong, "Brother, I've offended you today. Our division can no longer fight the Communists. We are all Chinese, all revolutionary soldiers. Why kill them all?"

Wang Qixiong: "Captain Peng, you're right. I don't want to fight either. If we don't fight, no one will die, but what should we do next? Disobeying orders is a foregone conclusion. The higher-ups will punish us! Old Peng, do you have any connections there?"

Peng Dehuai: "No. I don't have any connections or backing."

"Ah, this..." Wang Qixiong pondered.

Peng Dehuai: "Actually, I planned to lead the 1st and 2nd Regiments out of Pingjiang and drive them to Changsha.

"Ah? You...you...you...

Huang Gonglue: "That is, how about we start an uprising?

Wang Qixiong: “I.”

He reached for his holster like lightning, but the soldier from the second regiment beside him held Wang Qixiong down even faster than lightning.

"Peng Dehuai! When the hell did you join the Communist Party?"

“It’s not that early, maybe half a year ago.

Wang Qixiong: "I will not revolt with you.

"Captain Wang, even if you don't rebel, you have to help us lead the troops out of Pingjiang. We will release you once we reach Changsha.

Huang Gonglue persuaded Wang Qixiong. It was not that Huang Gonglue wanted to persuade him to join, but the various units of the Hunan Army had very strong local territoriality among their soldiers. With this regimental commander in the army, he could bring along many fellow townsmen from the Second Regiment.

The Pingjiang Uprising on July 8 was completed in this way with almost no bloodshed.

The First Regiment coerced the Second Regiment into revolt, imprisoned the division commander Zhou Pan, and the commander of the Second Regiment, Wang Qixiong, was in semi-imprisonment.

The Third Regiment arrived at Pingjiang on the afternoon of the 8th. Huang Gonglue addressed the Third Regiment, stating, "We've rebelled. If you want to join us, then march into the city. If you don't want to, then return to your base. This is a good outcome. You don't have to fight, you can just go back to the battlefield and continue to fish and swim." But the Third Regiment wouldn't be loyal to Chairman Wang and wouldn't storm Pingjiang County, would they?

No way?

The third regiment said, "Yes, yes, of course we won't attack Pingjiang by force." Then the regiment returned the same way.

Wushi Town, east of Miluo Station on the Yuehan Line.

Chen Tianheng and Xu Xiangqian were waiting for the troops of the Pingjiang Uprising in Wushi Town. On the morning of July 10, a long procession arrived along the riverside road where they had been stationed. As the procession approached, Peng Dehuai and Huang Gonglue were leading the procession.

"Old Peng! Huang Gonglue!" Chen Tianheng greeted. "It's been four years since we last met in Changsha!"

Peng Dehuai and Huang Gonglue: "Commander Chen.

Xu Xiangqian: "Huang Gonglue, I just want to ask, after you launched the uprising and took control of Pingjiang, why didn't you send a telegram? This is the news that our division's reconnaissance battalion observed the uprising from outside the city and sent back."

Huang Gonglue: "Commander Xu, is it possible that the First Division's radio has always been broken..."

Chen Tianheng: "Old Peng, I heard you moved the First Division's baggage reserves here."

Yes, we have over 700,000 rounds of ammunition, which is enough for a while. You are now traveling around Hunan and Jiangxi, so it must be difficult to replenish your ammunition.

Chen Tianheng nodded and said, "That's right. Up to now, our bullets and shells are still running out. However, the bullets you brought should basically be for your use.

Peng Dehuai hummed, turned his head and looked around: "Is this the unit of the First Revolutionary Sword Division?

Chen Tianheng: "That's right, the Second Regiment of the First Division of the First Army of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army. The Central Military Commission has now decided to give the unit you brought, Old Peng, the number of the Fifth Army of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army. Of course, at present, the Fifth Army may only have one division.

Peng Dehuai said: "There are two regiments of troops brought from Pingjiang, but after they are settled, many of them may leave. I think it will be a big deal if we can even put together a regiment.

"In the future, there will be a division of soldiers. If everything goes well, it is possible that one division will become three divisions," Chen Tianheng said. "As long as we remember that we are an army of the poor, fighting for the poor and seeking benefits for the poor, there will be people willing to join our team.

Peng Dehuai: "Commander Chen, the 35th and 36th Armies may attack Changsha together.

Chen Tianheng: "Speaking of this, perhaps you and Huang Gonglue should first understand our overall plan.

爱染

Peng Dehuai's two regiments returned to Changsha by train for reorganization

The Miluo River defense line was now held by the 2nd and 3rd Divisions, while the 1st Division was a mobile force to meet any possible KMT counterattack. However, so far, the 36th Army mentioned by Peng Dehuai was only concentrated in Yueyang and had not yet invaded the south.

In Changsha, Wang Qixiong was unwilling to remain with the revolutionary army, and over 500 of his officers and men also left. Peng Dehuai transferred the remaining men from the Second Regiment to the First Regiment, almost enough to make up for the number of men who had left the First Regiment. In other words, the Fifth Army of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army was now an infantry regiment.

"The final destination of our previous series of military operations is Guangzhou," Chen Tianheng explained the battle plan to Peng Dehuai and Huang Gonglue in front of the map. "Based on the vast rural areas of Guangdong, southern Hunan, and southern Jiangxi, with Guangzhou as the center, we will establish a new revolutionary base for workers and peasants. After establishing a new democratic coalition government, stabilizing the regime, and reorganizing the army, we will launch the second Northern Expedition to liberate all of China.

Peng Dehuai: "This means that Changsha is only temporarily occupied and will eventually be abandoned.

Chen Tianheng: "Yes. But we need to stay in Changsha for a few more days, mainly to procure and collect some supplies. The Hunan-Jiangxi base area needs to build a clothing factory, and we need a batch of sewing machines and other production tools. In addition, we are now investigating whether we can use the machinery and equipment we can obtain to build a bullet reloading factory in the Hunan-Jiangxi base area. This will solve a considerable part of the demand for bullets and grenades. Of course, Guangzhou is still the most important rear base. If the Guangzhou regime is consolidated, it can provide a steady supply of arms support to the base area guerrillas.

"If we want to use the extended base area as a barrier for the Guangzhou revolutionary government, then this place must be defended," Peng Dehuai pointed to Chenzhou on the map. "It is the central city of southern Hunan and is as important as Ganzhou.

Chen Tianheng: "If the Fifth Army is stationed in southern Hunan and northern Guangdong, can you manage Chenzhou and the surrounding areas?"

Peng Dehuai: "If I really had an army and three divisions, it would be fine. But now in Chenzhou, Hengyang, and Zhuzhou, the rural areas in this area seem to have been messed up by your people.

Changsha City Prison.

After the rebels occupied Changsha, it took several days to identify the prisoners in the prison.

"Bang

The door of a cell opened. "Luo Qiyuan?

"Comrade Luo Qiyuan?"

Luo Qiyuan, who was in prison, raised his head and said, "I'm Luo Qiyuan. What have you been doing these past few days? Didn't you enter Changsha four days ago?"

"We are reviewing the case files of the Changsha Police Department and need some time to identify them. The poor civilians who were innocently imprisoned by local tyrants and evil gentry will be released. Key members of the workers' and peasants' movement will be released, and Party members will be released and re-integrated into the organization. However, those criminals who were truly guilty of theft, robbery, murder, and arson will remain incarcerated.

Luo Qiyuan: "Okay, it's been going on for so long. So I'm going to return to the organization now?"

"Comrade Luo Qiyuan, you will need to undergo another review process before returning to the organization."

Luo Qiyuan: "I did not reveal any party secrets, nor did I reveal my identity.

"We have your case file, but Comrade Luo Qiyuan, the organization will have a private discussion with you. During this discussion, you must truthfully describe the situation in the rural areas surrounding Hengyang and what you have done there."

Chapter 108: Yuebei Peasant Uprising

South of Xiangtan and north of Hengshan Mountain is the Junshui River, a tributary of the Xiangjiang River.

Chen Tianheng came here again.

In 1923, Chen Tianheng, Jiang Xianyun, and Chen Geng spearheaded the Yuebei Peasant Movement, expanding the Yuebei Farmers' and Workers' Association to over a dozen villages and towns, with some villages even joining across counties. However, the central government's failure to contact the Kuomintang (KMT) and exploit the conflict between Tan Yankai and Zhao Hengti ultimately led to the collapse of the Farmers' Association. However, under the leadership of Chen Tianheng and the other three, the Farmers' and Workers' Association was successfully disbanded. Not only did they evade Zhao Hengti's repression and avoid casualties, but they also managed to reap a small fortune from the local tyrants and evil gentry, giving back to the villagers.

Later, Chen Tianheng, Jiang Xianyun, and Chen Geng applied to the Whampoa Military Academy, while key members of the Peasants' and Workers' Union attended the Guangzhou Peasant Movement Training Institute, studying there for six months to a year before returning to Hunan. Xiang Qi, who returned to Yuebei with Chen Tianheng today, was one of them.

“This is where we took Zhao Hewu’s stupid son aboard.

"Yes, yes," Xiang Qi said, "At that time, in order to prevent Zhao Hewu from continuing to pursue, you took a gun and fired three shots in succession, each shot hitting the stone drum, which frightened Zhao Hewu's troops.

"No way, I remember only firing two shots... Is this where the cannon was sunk?

Chen Tianheng was referring to Zheng Hengqian, Secretary of the newly formed Hengyang District Party Committee of the Communist Party of China and Secretary of the Yuebei Peasant Movement. Zheng Hengqian nodded. "The villagers here have pointed it out, and the location is correct. ... Look, they've already salvaged a piece. It's the cannon that was seized by the peasant association during the Yuebei peasant uprising."

The Yuebei peasant uprising was not an uprising in which the Yuebei peasants rose up to overthrow the Kuomintang reactionaries, but an incident in which the Yuebei peasants beat to death most of the main members of the Collective Farm Federation (formerly the Yuebei Farmers' Association).

"Luo Qiyuan, it was you who appointed Comrade Xu Yangtian, right?" Guo Liang asked.

"Yes, Xu Yangtian is a member of the Collective Farm Federation, and the Hunan Provincial Party Committee Rural Work Department has records of his appointment and removal.

Guo Liang: "Of the members of the Yuebei Collective Farm Federation, only Xu Yangtian remains alive. Comrade Luo Qiyuan, it will be up to you and Xu Yangtian to reconstruct the situation in this area before the Yuebei uprising."

Luo Qiyuan: "Well, I've never been to Yuebei.

Chen Tianheng: "Then we will mainly ask you, Xu Yangtian. First of all, where did you take Liao Fangbing?"

Xu Yangtian: "He was probably shot because he opposed the Sovietization of the countryside. His body was thrown into the Junshui River."

Chen Tianheng and Xiang Qi: ...

This all happened around December of last year. The newly established Hunan Provincial Party Committee Rural Work Department (the original Rural Work Department was established in collaboration with the Kuomintang and headed by Guo Liang) dispatched a large number of cadres to the rural areas along the Wuhan-Guangzhou axis, leading to a change in leadership at the Yuebei Farmers' and Workers' Union. Upon arriving in Yuebei, the newly appointed president, Jiang Yuqi, made several announcements:

1. It is not enough to simply deprive the landlords of their land; they must be physically eliminated. To prevent landlords from all over the country from uniting, they should be eliminated in batches.

2. Expropriate all land in the villages within the scope of the Farmers' and Trade Unions, establish farms, and implement a collective farming system.

3. All existing marriages in rural areas will be abolished, and couples will be required to re-certify their marriages. If one spouse disagrees, the marriage will be annulled. In cases of a single wife and multiple concubines, the husband will be sentenced.

4. After the last land reform and land distribution, if anyone buys or sells land during the six months, not only will the sales contract be invalid, but the seller must also collect the proceeds from the sale.

These measures were consistent with the basic spirit of the Guangdong District Committee's directives at the time, which aimed to build upon the foundations of previous peasant movements. In the Yuebei region, where a peasant movement had already existed since 1923 and land rights had been largely equalized, the plan was to take it a step further and establish a Soviet-style new countryside based on the Soviet collective farm model. In other areas where land rights had not yet been equalized and where only rent reduction and equalized tillage had been achieved, land was immediately distributed.

The original leadership of the Yuebei Farmers and Workers Association collectively opposed it. President Liao Fangbing had a fierce argument with the new president Jiang Yuqi who was parachuted in. Liao Fangbing accused Jiang Yuqi of completely ignoring the actual situation and doing things recklessly. Jiang Yuqi believed that Liao Fangbing had become the spokesperson for the stubborn forces of the landlord class. After his arrest, no one saw Liao Fangbing again.

Now Xu Yangtian has confirmed that Liao Fangbing has been executed.

Xiang Qi: "So what happened next? How did you guys mess things up bit by bit?"

Xu Yangtian: "Farmers are too cunning.

After taking over the Yuebei Farmers and Workers Association, Jiang Yuqi found that he had picked up a treasure.

The armed forces of the Yuebei Farmers and Workers Association were exceptionally powerful, possessing not only over 120 rifles but also a mountain cannon!