The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

"Oh, Du Yuming also reported some good news. Liao Lei's 9th Gui Division is equipped entirely with 65mm rifles. These are munitions purchased from Zhang Zuolin. After defeating Liao Lei's division, the bullets were captured. The Second Division can use all of them.

Chen Mingren pointed to a place on the map and said, "Commander, I don't think Zhang Gan thinks he can reoccupy Changning. He probably wants to take this path along the Weiyuan River and evacuate the battlefield.

Chen Tianheng: "With our relentless pressure, it won't be easy for the Guangxi clique to escape. Of course, that doesn't mean none of them will be able to escape, but most of their troops will be left behind. Has Zhang Gan already occupied the Weiyuan River ferry crossing on the road from Changning to Leiyang?"

"Yes.

Chen Tianheng: "The 5th Regiment of the 2nd Division will remain in Changning, and the 4th Regiment and artillery will also be transferred to the Lingyuan River. If crossing the river is difficult, then we will face Zhang Gan across the river, collect all boats on the Lingyuan River and block the river with firepower to prevent them from retreating easily.

The main action on December 18 was the 1st and 3rd Divisions advancing towards Xiaoshui Town and approaching Leiyang County again.

两个师顺利与第五军1、2旅会合，当面之敌是张淦18军的55、56师和桂1师、桂8师。

Unlike Chiang Kai-shek's forces, which had only advanced and retreated along the highway in previous battles in Jiangxi and Changsha, the Guangxi clique's forces always deployed a wide front, centered on the highway and extending to the mountains on either side. This often prevented or provided early warning of enemy attempts to penetrate and encircle the road. If the enemy was not a strong force but rather a weaker force than the Guangxi clique, the Guangxi clique troops deployed in the mountains on either side of the road would advance and penetrate and encircle the enemy from both flanks.

After all, they are soldiers and generals who came from the mountains of Guangxi.

However, Chen Tianheng also discovered that the width of the Guangxi clique on both sides of the road was 5-8 kilometers. For the current infantry (including the First Division), this width can block penetration and encirclement. However, it is hard to say what will happen after future battlefield technology changes.

Of course, the Guangxi clique was not the only one that could climb the mountain. Two regiments of the First Division also quickly entered the mountains, forming a situation of interlocking teeth with the Guangxi clique and confronting each other across the mountain.

"Brothers of the Gui army on the opposite side!!"

On a hilltop where the two sides were only a hundred or two hundred meters apart, the Propaganda Section of the Political Department of the 1st Division set up a large electric loudspeaker and gave lectures to the Guangxi Army in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Guangxi Mandarin alternately.

"Brothers of the Gui army! We are all revolutionary forces. Stop fighting each other! The only ones who are happy with this kind of fighting are the warlords, the Chiang Kai-shek reactionaries, and the imperialists!"

...Damn it!”

…leave!

"You Communists, stop bluffing!"

Publicity Section Officer:

"We were all the main force of the National Revolutionary Army's Northern Expedition! We fought Wu Peifu, Sun Chuanfang, and Zhang Zongchang! We are all Chinese. We joined the revolutionary army and the Northern Expedition for the betterment of China! As orthodox members of the Communist Party and the Kuomintang, we all fought to save our country and our people!

"We are both from Guangdong and Guangxi! We share the same West River, drink the same water, eat the same rice, and eat the same things! Guangdong and Guangxi are cousins! Why should we separate cousins?

"Damn! Do you like spicy food?"

Publicity Officer:

…We’re about to launch a propaganda bomb! Please be careful and keep it away!”

With a few muffled thuds, the propaganda bombs flew the leaflets over.

Publicity Department Cadres:

"Also! Chiang Kai-shek and the headquarters blocked the news, you didn't know. Now I'm telling you!

"Chiang Kai-shek's other encirclement and suppression force was completely annihilated in Jiangxi three days ago!"

"Chiang Kai-shek dispatched three armies with 8 men to attack Ganzhou. Our troops, led by Ye Ting and Zhu De, annihilated the entire 20th and 25th Armies, and most of the 19th Army! Group Commander He Yingqin fled to Yingtan in disgrace. It's impossible to fight again! Your superiors won't tell you this news!"

"If you still insist on fighting, Ye Ting's Iron Army will join the Chenzhou battlefield from Jiangxi! It will be soon!"

Leiyang.

"Damn it! He Yingqin was completely defeated."

"Damn it! I don't even know this news?"

Zhang Gan was secretly surprised and looked at Wei Yunsong: "Old Wei, tell me, does Commander-in-Chief Li know about this?"

Wei Yunsong: "Send a telegram to Changsha and ask.

Zhang Gan ordered the radio station to send a message. Li Zongren, who had been sending orders non-stop with a telegram every half hour since dinner, remained silent for a full hour before sending a telegram back:

"Control your subordinates and do not spread this news. Agree to the plan of retreating to Yongzhou and Qixian. Agree to the plan of abandoning heavy equipment if necessary. Be sure to bring back the troops."

Zhang Gan: "Commander-in-Chief Li's words, ah! Although I am in charge of the 18th Army, to be honest, I know what Commander-in-Chief Li means, that you and your troops must be withdrawn.

Yin Chenggang, commander of the 1st Guangxi Division, and Li Mingrui, commander of the 8th Guangxi Division: N

"Commander, if coordination is good, the 18th Army can also withdraw.

Zhang Gan: "But we must have a division and the 18th Army to hold the line in the front, and then gradually withdraw. Let's use the 1st Gui Division."

On December 19, the 1st and 4th Divisions and the Fifth Army launched a penetrating attack on the Xiaoshui Town battlefield. However, during the battle, the front-line troops discovered that the Guangxi Clique's forces had become sparse.

"They definitely don't have three or four divisions on the front line. I think it's two divisions at most."

Xu Xiangqian reported.

Chen Tianheng: "Zhang Gan has accelerated his retreat and must have withdrawn some of his troops last night. Since the enemy's forces are sparse, the 1st Division should boldly penetrate from both flanks and trap as many of the enemy as possible in Xiaoshui Town."

How many rounds of artillery shells do we have left?" Chen Tianheng asked another question.

Huang Wei: "Our two mountain artillery battalions still have 900 rounds of artillery shells, two-thirds of which have been used up. The mortar shells are also about 60% used up.

Chen Tianheng: "This battle was truly fought with artillery shells counted. Once we eliminated the Guangxi clique around Leiyang, our artillery shells would have run out.

Huang Wei: "A new batch of shells has been shipped in from Shaoguan, 1000 rounds, the last remaining in Guangdong.

Chen Tianheng: "We will keep these shells to deter any enemy who attempts to invade Hengyang after we capture it."

The evening of July 12.

The Guangxi troops at Xiaoshui were completely defeated. The 55th Division of the 18th Army was nearly annihilated during the battle, with the headquarters of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Guangxi Division captured as a whole. The entire regiment was essentially wiped out, and the remaining two regiments and other remnants retreated to Leiyang.

Now Zhang Gan did not deploy heavy troops to defend Leiyang County, but instead focused his defense on the west side of the county, relying on the Lei River as his support on the left flank, and the trench defense line extended from the river to the right (west).

Because if the Guangxi clique wanted to withdraw from Leiyang, it would have to go west first: turn north at Lingyuan River, then go to Guiyang Town in Qi County, and then to Yongzhou. At this time, protecting this line west of Leiyang County would allow the Guangxi clique to escape from Leiyang County more calmly.

12 month 20 day.

"Commander Peng!

"Your Fifth Army is responsible for the frontal defense breakthrough at Xujia and Liaojia Chong. Your mission is to advance 2 kilometers, compress the enemy's battlefield depth, and facilitate the First Division's flanking mountain breakthrough. Advance 2 kilometers and capture Liaojia Chong immediately. Do not advance too deep and cause additional casualties.

Chen Tianheng called Peng Dehuai on the front line in Xiaoshui Town.

“The Fifth Army understands.

Chen Tianheng: "Also, have the troops pay attention to enemy artillery fire. You are fighting in relatively flat terrain. Although we have captured many of the Gui army's artillery in the past few days of fighting, the 18th Army we are facing now also has mountain and field artillery. I am talking about you, Old Peng, pay attention to your safety and the safety of the army headquarters.

"Just remember I'm the commander. Don't go to the front lines to catch bullets. I know."

Peng Dehuai's troops moved.

Leiyang.

"The Guangdong Communists are attacking again, this time in a similar way to what happened at Xiaoshui Town. They're attacking us head on and also from inside the mountains. Commander Wei,

Zhang Gan looked at Wei Yunsong and said, "We must hold on until dark no matter what.

Wei Yunsong: "Request artillery support.

Zhang Gan: "Where is the artillery regiment?"

"Report to the Commander, the 18th Army Artillery Regiment is in position!" Zhang Gan said, "Commander Wei, where do you want the artillery support?" Wei Yunsong replied, "The enemy hasn't reached the front yet." "Oh, I see. Let me see."

Zhang Gan looked at the map and said, "Artillery Regiment, attack here.

Huang Wenqi, commander of the artillery regiment: "Here?!"

Zhang Gan: "What do you call that? Isn't the Liao-made Type 14 field gun capable of firing at ranges of 10 kilometers?"

Huang Wenqi: "But we don't even know what's out there. And Commander, the distance here is over 9 kilometers, so the density of the artillery shells will be very low."

Zhang Gan: "I've calculated it all, just fire. Nine, twenty-nine... thirty-nine. Thirty-nine, twenty-seven. Nine guns, fire 27 shells.

Yes! Commander, should we attack here?"

Huang Wenqi pointed at the map. Zhang Gan had just casually tapped on the map with his hand, so he wasn't sure.

“Yes, it’s here.

"This is a small hill. Is it on the north or south slope?

Zhang Gan took another look at the Bagua map in his hand and said with certainty: "The west side of the mountain!"

Small water town.

Another night of intense planning, deployment and mobilization. After Peng Dehuai received the order to launch the attack, Chen Tianheng, who was on duty at the command center from three to seven in the morning and continued to work from seven to 10, felt that it was time to move around.

No, it's time to eat something.

"Are there any more buns? Give me two.

"yes!

Chen Tianheng: "Forget it, let's just take four. Chen Mingren will be at the command center soon to take over."

"yes!"

Chen Tianheng stood up, stretched his muscles and walked back and forth in the command center.

"--boom!"

A 77mm shell flew in without warning, hit the outer wall of the command building and exploded.

Shrapnel, broken stones and tiles, and shock waves swept across the room.

Before losing consciousness, the last thing Chen Tianheng thought about was:

"It's still 10 kilometers from Leiyang County, and the battle line is 8 kilometers from Xiaoshui Town. How did they hit the headquarters?"

Chapter 157: It is not appropriate for you to seek medical treatment in Hong Kong

When Chen Tianheng opened his eyes again, he saw a snow-white ceiling plastered with lime.

The patient is in the ward. The ward is in the hospital. The hospital is in...Guangzhou?

Chen Tianheng raised his hand. There were a bunch of wires connected to his hand. There was also an Einthoven heart rate monitor next to the table. Hospitals in Chenzhou or Shaoguan probably didn't have this thing.

"Wake up, wake up! Commander, wake up!

"Captain, wake up!

"Chen Tianheng is awake!

Voices and chaotic footsteps. Chen Tianheng shifted his gaze and saw the person waiting anxiously by the bedside.

Li Dazhao. Mao Runzhi. Ye Jianying. Ye Ting. Xu Xiangqian. Chen Geng. Jiang Xianyun.

"Chen Tianheng, you finally woke up. Do you know, do you know?" Chen Geng's eyes filled with tears. "Ten years, a full ten years! We are all old!

"Chen Geng," Chen Tianheng said with difficulty, "take off your fake beard. It's too fake."

"Oh." Chen Geng pulled off the fake gray beard on his cheeks and chin. "He's conscious and his observation ability is normal. He's recovering well.

Chen Tianheng: "So, what day is today?

Li Dazhao: "January 1, 1928."

I've been lying down for more than ten days. What happened to the battle in Leiyang?"

Xu Xiangqian: "The day you were shot, the Guangxi clique collapsed. We finished the fight the next day, and except for part of the 8th and 10th Guangxi divisions that escaped, the rest of the Guangxi clique was completely wiped out by us. Oh, by the way, we have now found out. The staff officer next to Zhang Gan said that the shelling of Xiaoshui Town that day was purely accidental. They fired more than 20 shells sparsely, and Zhang Gan himself didn't know what he hit.

When the general attack on the Guangxi clique's Leiyang defense line was launched on December 20, Xiao Jinguang commanded the 4th Division of the 2nd Army on the northern line and also took the initiative to attack, causing the Guangxi clique to be hit hard in three directions, north and south. Zhang Gan fled first when he saw the situation was not good. After Zhang Gan escaped, the Guangxi army lost unified command. The 8th Division of Guangxi, which was originally a reserve force, did not stand up at the critical moment, and the defensive position of the 18th Army was completely destroyed by Peng Dehuai.

A more devastating blow came from the 1st Division, which launched a mountainous attack. The 1st Division directly engaged the old Guangxi clique in a one-on-one duel and prevailed, exposing the western escape route of the large enemy force in Leiyang to its attack range. Ultimately, it was Li Mingrui's keen sense of smell that led the 8th Guangxi Division to flee first, and with his exceptional sprinting ability, he left all the former Hunan Army units behind.

When the enemy in Leiyang traveled 15 kilometers east to the Lingyuan River and planned to retreat north along the mountain road beside the Lingyuan River, Du Yuming gave Zhang Gan a big surprise.

Although Chen Tianheng ordered the Second Division to move one regiment along the west bank of the river to launch a surprise attack, preventing the Gui army from escaping by boat downstream, after Du Yuming seized all the boats on the Lingyuan River, he found that he could use these boats to cross the river to the east bank and attack the retreating Gui troops.

So Zhang Gan, who was running in the front, was caught in the attack. A battalion of the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Division crossed the river and attacked Zhang Gan's military headquarters as well as the service and guard teams. Zhang Gan was shot and killed in the melee.

After that, the battalion of the 2nd Division continued to fight on the east bank for another two hours until the large number of retreating troops (Gui 8th Division) also arrived at the Lingyuan River. Then the battalion took a boat back to the west bank.

"Wei Yunsong, commander of the 37th Guangxi Army, was captured, Zhang Gan, commander of the 18th Guangxi Army, was killed in the chaos, and we also captured Xia Wei, commander of the 7th Guangxi Army. However, Li Pinxian, commander of the 8th Guangxi Army, escaped by jumping into the river and swimming."

"The next day, Chiang Kai-shek dismissed Bai Chongxi from his post as Chief of the General Staff."

"I agree. Today, Lin Sen, Chairman of the Nanjing Nationalist Government, issued a peace statement. Chiang Kai-shek remained noncommittal. I heard he has returned to his hometown of Fenghua to go fishing.

Chen Tianheng: "Yeah, winter fishing is pretty good. It's just that Zhang Gan is a bit miserable. You just said he didn't attack me specifically, so there's no need to beat him to death."

Xu Xiangqian: "We didn't spread the news that you were shot that day. The entire Second Bandit Division was completely unaware of this incident, and there was no intention to specifically retaliate against Zhang Gan. It was just an unfortunate coincidence on the battlefield that the bullet hit Zhang Gan.

Ye Jianying: "The day after Lin Sen asked for peace, Li Zongren issued a peace telegram in Changsha. Chiang Kai-shek's massive encirclement and suppression campaign, with 25 troops, had completely failed. Bai Chongxi's last order before being dismissed was to have the Guangxi 27th Army transported from Nanjing by water back to Qinzhou and Fangchenggang. With only one of the three main Guangxi armies left, I'm afraid they no longer have any major ambitions."

"Huh..." Chen Tianheng let out a long sigh. "The Guangxi clique is so hostile to us this time. We need to resolve it. I sent a telegram to the Central Committee in December.