The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

Li Zongren gazed at the opposite peak and saw five figures moving about. Through the telescope, he could even make out their movements: they had just climbed a cliff and were marching along the ridge in formation. Looking more closely, he saw two more figures still on the cliff, still not having reached the summit, climbing up, bit by bit, using their hands and feet.

Li Zongren: "It's Chen Tianheng's troops who are training."

Zhu Peide: "Chen Tianheng's First Division is stationed in Jiujiang, and Dai Yue's Hunan Army 6th Division is stationed in De'an. The two units are about the same distance from here."

Li Zongren: "The only one who has trained his troops to such an incredible level is Chen Tianhengtian. I heard that the First Division has a training center at the foot of Mount Lushan?"

……

Training near the South Gate of Lushan Mountain was a seven-man mountain reconnaissance team from the 7st Division Reconnaissance Battalion.

Reconnaissance Battalion Commander Guan Linzheng is also a member of this team.

Mountain climbing was Guan Linzheng's weakness. He was skilled with a spear and horse, proficient in reconnaissance, identification, positioning, and ranging, and a top-tier fighter in the battalion. As a Northwest man, he wasn't afraid of the cold. But Guan Linzheng was afraid of climbing mountains, especially the near-vertical cliffs he was climbing today.

So today, he joined the mountain reconnaissance team to improve his weaknesses. He even declined the assistance of two Guangxi soldiers in the team during the climb, instead pulling on the rope and climbing the cliff step by step. The moment he stood on the ridge, Guan Linzheng felt a sense of accomplishment.

"Next, we're going this way." On the ridge, Guan Linzheng pulled out a map and compass, expertly determining his current position and the direction he was heading. He was proficient in all of this. "Let's hurry down the mountain. Lushan will be foggy soon."

"Captain, now I understand why there's a line in the poem 'I cannot see the true face of Mount Lu, because I am within it.' Mount Lu is truly always covered in fog."

Guan Linzheng: "So this place is quite suitable for training scouts. It can practice mountain climbing, map recognition and direction identification, and the skills of setting up radio stations in the mountains."

"I recently realized that the division commander wants to train everyone in the division reconnaissance battalion to become omnipotent gods."

Guan Linzheng: "It's not that mysterious. Let me give you a brief summary. Our mission can be summed up in one sentence: get in and get out. No matter how treacherous the terrain or how tight the defenses, we must find a way to infiltrate. To get out means to be able to pass on the information and intelligence we gather so that the headquarters can grasp it. All our skills training is centered around this principle, not just training for the sake of mastering skills. Simple enough, right? To put it bluntly, it's still reconnaissance."

"But Captain, it seems the 5th Reconnaissance Battalion is no longer purely for reconnaissance. It's now called the Reconnaissance and Demolition Battalion?"

Guan Linzheng: "The Fifth Battalion, indeed, has a different mission, quite special... We have finally reached the plains."

As the fog settled over Lushan, the mountain reconnaissance team finally left the desolate, uninhabited mountainous region. While the terrain remained undulating, the path beneath our feet, honed by woodcutters, was easy to follow and wouldn't get lost. The training exercise was a complete success.

Is there someone in front?

Through the mist, Guan Linzheng spotted a dark figure straddling the intersection of the woodcutter's path and the main road down the mountain. As he approached within thirty or forty meters, a black Ford sedan and two figures in front of it appeared.

Both men were wearing the uniforms of officers from the Northern Expedition Army. Seeing the ranks on their uniforms, Guan Linzheng and the soldiers from the reconnaissance team raised their hands and saluted.

Li Zongren asked the driver to park the car here and wait for the arrival of the group. As expected, they saw the group coming down the mountain. But when the group approached, Li Zongren and Zhu Peide felt that today was an eye-opener.

The team consisted of seven men, five armed with rifles, and two with only pistols, though they carried some strange equipment on their backs. Their uniforms weren't the tan of the Northern Expedition, but rather a grass-green, slightly different design. Their hats weren't the Northern Expedition's peaked caps, but rather a strange, soft black hat. Around their necks were green checkered scarves.

How could there be a Northern Expedition Army dressed like this? If it weren't for the Blue Sky and White Sun insignia on their uniforms and the First Division/First Regiment insignia that Li Zongren recognized, he wouldn't have been sure to identify the unit these people belonged to.

Li Zongren responded: "I am Li Zongren, commander of the Seventh Army of the Northern Expedition."

Guan Linzheng: "Hello, sir! Major Guan Linzheng of the First Division of the First Army."

Li Zongren: "Major Guan Linzheng, if I want to visit the barracks of the First Division of the First Army and your training center, how do I apply?"

……

The First Division's Lushan Training Center had a visitor today, Soong Ching Ling.

She had promised to come for a visit the day before yesterday, and she arrived this morning as promised. As for the meeting on Mount Lushan that morning, it didn't matter to her whether she attended or not.

As Sun Yat-sen's widow, the only thing she needed to do at the Lushan Conference was to show up at the beginning of the meeting.

Actually, the training center wasn't much to see. Chen Tianheng hadn't arranged any special demonstrations like bare-handed brick-splitting for Soong Ching Ling's visit. The 2nd and 3rd Regiments were on a tight training schedule, and there wasn't much time for that. Soong Ching Ling and her secretary were free to wander the training grounds, observing any exciting training sessions they chose (except for the live-fire range). They ended up standing on the 400-meter obstacle course, watching the soldiers roll in the dirt until noon.

"At the beginning of October, I was only the commander of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division," Chen Tianheng said. "After the Northern Expedition captured Nanchang, the First Army's officers were reshuffled. Commander Xue Yue of the 1st Division was transferred to become commander of the 22nd Division, and I took command of the entire 1st Division. The training methods, technical and tactical requirements of the 1st Regiment were completely different from those of the 2nd and 3rd Regiments. To get the 2nd and 3rd Regiments up to or near the level of the 1st Regiment, I had to seize the opportunity during my time stationed in Jiujiang to conduct efficient training."

Soong Ching Ling: "Commander Chen Tianheng, whose orders did you obey during the battle?"

"The First Division obeys the orders of its superiors. Our superior is the First Army, and now the Northern Expedition Army Headquarters will also issue military orders directly, but this is also a normal compliance process."

Then, Soong Ching Ling asked a number of questions about the Northern Expedition Army. It was clear that Soong Ching Ling had a purpose in asking these questions. She asked whether the various armies and divisions of the Northern Expedition Army would levy taxes on their own, whether the First Division would definitely execute military orders, and even whether the First Division's deployment required the approval of its superiors. Chen Tianheng answered all of these questions.

Soong Ching Ling: "Since the late Qing Dynasty, China has suffered from warlordism. Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing Dynasty and worked to rebuild a unified and powerful national core. However, after more than a decade of struggle, the warlordism and strife did not stop, but intensified. First, some with hundreds of thousands of troops occupied several provinces and ruled their own territories. Later, in the year before Dr. Sun Yat-sen's death, a division or even a brigade could break off and establish themselves as a warlord in a local area, and the country became increasingly fragmented."

"So today, I can't help but wonder, what is China's future? Can the Northern Expedition rebuild the country? After the Northern Expedition, can we put an end to the warlords' secessionist rule?"

Chen Tianheng: "There is no denying that China faces a high risk of warlordism today and for some time to come. China is a backward agricultural country with little industry, especially no systematic defense industry. This means that there is essentially no difference in military equipment between the central government and local powerful factions. Everyone's guns and artillery are purchased. If local powerful factions have enough spare money to purchase equipment, they can easily build an army that even the central government cannot defeat. China is also subject to the division and colonization of imperialism, which makes it sometimes even easier for local powerful factions to purchase guns and artillery than the central government."

"Politically, the Qing dynasty was overthrown, but not completely. Central government revenues were intercepted by local governments, making them difficult to centralize. Remnants of the bureaucracy and bureaucratic thinking will continue to exist for a long time, tempting those in power. Even the long-overthrown imperial system was once restored under this lingering atmosphere. Only another thoroughgoing New Democratic Revolution can completely bury the remnants of the Qing dynasty."

Soong Ching Ling: "Commander Chen Tianheng, it seems that you are very confident in the current Northern Expedition of the National Revolutionary Army to wipe out these remnants."

"As for this matter, we can only say that it is human-made." Chen Tianheng answered briefly.

"If all the generals of the Northern Expedition were like you, then this Northern Expedition would have been successful. But what I saw in Guangzhou and Wuhan was not the case," Soong Ching Ling sighed. "Those commanders originally came from various provinces, and now in the Nationalist government, their troops are called the Hunan Army, the Guangxi Army, and the Yunnan Army. They even sometimes use these names to refer to themselves, without any hesitation and even with considerable pride. Sometimes I wonder if this Northern Expedition will only overthrow the old warlords and give rise to a group of new ones?"

A car drove into the training center and stopped next to Soong Ching Ling's car. Chen Tianheng watched as the car stopped and two Northern Expedition Army officers got out.

Well, Queen Mother Song was talking about this matter when the candidate for the new warlord arrived.

Chapter 133

"In the battle north of Xiushui, Xie Hongxun's division was basically annihilated. It seems that from the very beginning, the balance of victory tilted in your favor."

When Li Zongren arrived at the 1st Division, the first thing he did was to find Chen Tianheng to review several battles on the Nanxun Line. The first battle to be reviewed was the battle north of Xiushui in which the Soviet 4th Division was annihilated.

After briefly laying out the course of the battle, Li Zongren immediately identified the first key to victory. "In the duel between the two sides' scouts, Xie Hongxun was completely defeated. His scouts were simply no match for the 1st Regiment's reconnaissance company."

Chen Tianheng: "Not only that. Before the scouts of both sides engaged in direct confrontation and our side blocked the enemy's view of the battlefield, the 1st Regiment's reconnaissance company successfully captured prisoners and learned the number and strength of Sun Chuanfang's attacking army from the captives."

Li Zongren continued to look down at a battle map north of Xiushui drawn in the sand by Chen Tianheng and Lu Deming. The scouts of the 4th Su Division were instantly defeated upon contact. Afterward, the scouts of the 1st Regiment engaged the 4th Su Division head-on, while the remaining four infantry battalions rapidly advanced, following the pre-battle "sugarcane chewing" strategy established by Chen Tianheng and Xu Xiangqian. They devoured the 4th Su Division like a single piece of sugarcane.

"De'an Battle," Li Zongren said, opening a new map. "We're also fighting Sun Chuanfang's old foes, the Central Second Division. You've wiped out three of the four regiments. This battle...is not going to be easy. To be more precise, De'an is even harder than the battles north of Xiushui."

Chen Tianheng: "Indeed. Although the 1st, 2nd, and 6th Divisions participated in this battle, the 6th Division's combat effectiveness was relatively weak. The 1st Division had three regiments, and the 2nd and 3rd Regiments had not yet completed their adjustments. Sun Chuanfang's army had De'an, a well-defended city, to defend. The 2nd Central Division was moving south along the Nanxun Railway, and the distance to support De'an was not far. Behind the 2nd Central Division was another division and a brigade, making it difficult to divide and encircle. When rushing to support De'an, the 2nd Central Division had an armored train as a vanguard. With the help of this armored train, Sun's army almost defeated the 6th Division."

Reviewing the battle with Li Zongren, Chen Tianheng suddenly remembered: After the one and a half months of special training in the "improvement class", the combat effectiveness of the 2nd and 3rd Regiments has increased significantly. If the current 1st Division is deployed to the De'an battle, Sun Chuanfang's Central 2nd Division will probably be wiped out, and even the Five Provinces Allied Forces Guards Brigade behind the Central 2nd Division will suffer a heavy loss.

"Commander Li, the next phase of the Northern Expedition is about to begin. The tasks for each army in the next phase should have been decided at Mount Lushan."

Li Zongren: "Yes. First, stabilize Sun Chuanfang. Then the 4th and 7th Armies will move down the Yangtze River to assist the Jiangzuo Army in taking Nanjing. In addition, according to the arrangements roughly agreed upon at the meeting, your 1st Division may be used as part of the Jiangyou Army."

Chen Tianheng: "I've heard about this as well. Sun Chuanfang suffered heavy losses on the Nanxun Line. He has been recovering his strength for the past month, but fortunately, Chairman Wang finally decided to continue fighting. Sun Chuanfang has recovered some strength but not fully."

"I think the Northern Expedition Army could easily capture Nanjing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou. Even if Sun Chuanfang were given two more months to recover, he wouldn't be able to defeat him," Li Zongren said. "But I think Zhang Zuolin won't sit idly by. There's a high probability that Zhang Zuolin will intervene when the battle against Sun Chuanfang reaches its final stages."

"Oh?" Chen Tianheng said, "Then, Commander Li, how do you think we should respond?"

……

The three of them whispered for a long time in the corner of the playground. When it was time to take a group photo, Chen Tianheng, Li Zongren and Lu Deming returned to the crowd.

Of course, Soong Ching Ling is in the center of the photo, and Chen Tianheng and Li Zongren are also in the center of the picture.

After the Lushan Conference, the Guangzhou/Wuhan camp experienced a few days of calm. By mid-December, a series of military and political orders finally began to roll in.

The Central Army headquarters was divided into the Jiangzuo Army and the Jiangyou Army.

The organization of the Jiangzuo Army was also finalized. Cheng Qian's Sixth Army was to fight in the "narrow" Jiangzuo region. The Northern Expeditionary Force responsible for capturing the larger Shanghai-Nanjing-Hangzhou region also included the 1st, 19th, and 26th Armies. Bai Chongxi was ordered to arrive in Nanchang from Wuhan and assume the position of Chief of Staff of the Jiangzuo Army.

The First Army had swelled immensely. Chiang Kai-shek continually siphoned off troops to his sole legitimate army. Three divisions now formed the Eastern Route Army of the Northern Expedition, led by Commander He Yingqin. They were operating in Fujian and were nearing the point of advancing beyond Fujian into Zhejiang. The 1st and 2nd Divisions, two highly effective units, were directly under the command of the Nanchang headquarters. Furthermore, the 21st Division of the First Army was also en route to Nanchang and would join the offensive against Zhejiang upon arrival.

In the Jiangyou area, the two elite 4th and 7th Armies, along with the newly formed 14th Army, were about to advance down the Yangtze River, capturing towns along the way and heading straight for Nanjing. Stationed in Wuhan to guard against Zhang Zuolin's southward advance were Tang Shengzhi's 8th Army and Chen Shuming's 11th Army. Furthermore, a new entrant—the 9th Army of the Northern Expedition—had also appeared in the Wuhan formations.

The Ninth Army could be roughly called the "Xiangxi Army," slightly different from Tang Shengzhi's Xiang Army. The main force of the Ninth Army was He Long's Xiangxi First Division.

He Long left home at the age of 14 to make a living in the private salt trade. In 1916, at the age of 20, He Long launched the Xiangxi Uprising. He destroyed the Bamaoxi Salt Bureau and seized 12 guns. He then used these 12 guns to mobilise thousands of people to form the Sangzhi Anti-Yuan and Protect the Nationalist Army, of which he served as commander-in-chief.

However, from 1916 to 1926, He Long's record on the battlefield was mediocre, with a win-loss ratio of 50-50. Moreover, his characteristic was that his troops would flee after a defeat. Of course, he would use his immense charisma to rally a new force and soon make a comeback.

It wasn't until 1926, when He Long telegraphed his troops to join the National Revolutionary Army and participate in the Northern Expedition, that the Nationalist government assigned Party representatives to He Long's troops, and only then did they rise to prominence. After the Northern Expedition captured Wuchang, He Long's division entered Hubei from western Hunan and marched across the country, achieving successes such as Huangjinkou and Douhudi, capturing Songzi, Shashi, and Yichang, and even reaching southern Henan.

In Sichuan, the Northern Expeditionary Army also took action. After Zhu De's arrival, the Nationalist government dispatched key figures such as Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, Tong Yongsheng, and Yang Angong to Sichuan, striving to mobilise local forces to launch an uprising. On December 1st, the uprising first broke out in Luzhou, followed by Shunqing on December 3rd.

However, the Lushun Uprising was somewhat unexpected. Zhu De was in Chengdu, trying to persuade Yang Sen, and Liu Bocheng was in Chongqing, trying to persuade Lai Xinhui. Their goal was to persuade these higher-ranking officials to make a major move, but these two cities rose up first. In a desperate situation, Liu Bocheng immediately left Chongqing and secretly traveled to Shunqing. He led the Shunqing uprising forces, broke through the encirclement of the Sichuan warlords, and brought them to Luzhou, where they united forces. This uprising force of several thousand men in Luzhou was organized into the 15th Army of the Northern Expedition.

(Luzhou and Shunqing are not adjacent to each other. The two cities are more than 200 kilometers apart, and there is a city called Chongqing in between).

……

Amidst the turmoil across the country, the dispatch order for the 1st Division finally arrived.

"I hereby order the First Division of the First Army to prepare for movement and assemble at Nanchang on December 22nd. From there, proceed eastward immediately, reaching Shangrao before December 29th, and proceed from Jiangxi to Zhejiang for combat. Headquarters, December 20th."

Chen Tianheng: "Prepare a marching plan."

Chen Mingren: "We have plenty of time. From Nanchang to Shangrao, the area is controlled by the Northern Expedition Army. The roads are in good condition and have been reinforced and repaired."

Chen Tianheng: "What's interesting is that the 1st and 2nd Divisions set out very late, while the 19th and 26th Armies left Jiangxi a week earlier than us. When we entered Zhejiang, we didn't even know where the 26th Army was."

Xu Xiangqian: "Army units like the 26th Army are being treated as consumables and weakened in Zhejiang."

Chen Tianheng: "Exactly. President Jiang should be thinking the same thing. So we're not worried about the 26th Army taking Hangzhou first. In fact... the 26th Army is likely to be beaten badly near Hangzhou."

The Northern Expedition Army gathered 9 divisions with nearly 8 people and attacked Zhejiang from Jiangxi. Sun Chuanfang also concentrated more than 8 troops in Zhejiang.

The 1st Division had a crushing force and a huge psychological advantage over Sun Chuanfang's army. However, the 26th Army, a unit that had defected from the Five Provinces Coalition, was not necessarily so strong against Sun Chuanfang. At least the 26th Army probably did not have any psychological advantage.

"Although the five-province coalition army had gathered 8 troops, Sun Chuanfang had clearly been frightened by the Northern Expedition Army on the Nanxun Line, and their troop deployment in Zhejiang was reduced."

In Nanchang, Bai Chongxi briefly outlined the current situation.

"The main force of the Five Provinces Allied Forces is concentrated along the Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Ningbo line. Other areas of Zhejiang, such as Wenzhou and Taizhou, are left to defend themselves. The 26th and 19th Armies have begun entering Zhejiang from Shangrao. I have ordered these two armies: the 26th Army will stop at Tonglu and not further than Fuyang; the 19th Army will stop at Zhuji and wait for the 1st Army to enter Zhejiang before launching an attack on the enemy in Hangzhou."

Chen Tianheng: "Chief of Staff Bai, this deployment was arranged by President Jiang, right?"

Bai Chongxi: "Yes. But no matter what, it is necessary to take Zhejiang."

Bai Chongxi had to satisfy Chiang Kai-shek's strategy of "sending away the miscellaneous troops", but at the same time he also had to ensure that Sun Chuanfang could be defeated in the end. His reputation as the Little Zhuge Liang could not be ruined in Zhejiang.

"Sun Chuanfang also placed his main forces in Hangzhou. This was necessary, as Shanghai and Hangzhou are connected by a railway. Once Hangzhou is captured, the Northern Expedition Army can immediately reach Shanghai. In Hangzhou is the 10th Division of the Five Provinces Allied Forces, Zheng Junyan's division. This division fought against the Northern Expedition Army in Jiangxi; there is also the 11th Division of the Allied Forces, under Wang Miao. This division is also one of the most combat-capable among Sun Chuanfang's existing forces. The 10th and 11th Divisions combined have a total of 30,000 personnel. Garrisoned in Shaoxing is Liu Shilin's 2nd Division of the Allied Forces, which is probably the third largest force of the Five Provinces Allied Forces in Zhejiang, with a total of more than 8,000 people. Garrisoned in Ningbo is Meng Zhaoyue's 6th Mixed Brigade of the Allied Forces, with more than 6,000 people."

Chen Tianheng: "Where is Zhou Yinren's Fujian Army, which was expelled from Fujian, now?"

Bai Chongxi stated, "Zhou Yinren's troops have just left Fujian and are not expected to arrive in Lishui until January 1st. Zhejiang province does not welcome the Fujian troops. According to current information, local Sun Yat-sen troops and security groups in Zhejiang are even secretly contacting the Northern Expedition, urging them to eliminate Zhou Yinren's Fujian troops first."

Chen Tianheng: "Zhou Yinren was already known for causing trouble in Fujian. It's certain he would be unwelcome in Zhejiang. ... So, can the pursuing First Army catch up with Zhou Yinren?"

"Fujian itself hasn't been completely stabilized yet," Bai Chongxi said, "so He Yingqin probably won't be able to enter Zhejiang to join the war anytime soon. However, Chen Tianheng, with the combat effectiveness of your First and Second Divisions, defeating Sun Chuanfang's divisions and brigades in Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Ningbo shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Chen Tianheng: "Well... no problem. However, the First Division would like more ammunition."

Bai Chongxi: "General Jialun has piled up mountains of ammunition for the attack on Zhejiang. I don't believe you can use it all up."

Chen Tianheng: "Then there is no problem."

Chapter 134

"Ahead of our march is the Jiangyou Army's 1st Logistics and Transport Regiment. They set out two days earlier than us, which means they're 70 kilometers ahead of us. Behind us is Lao Liu's 2nd Division. They'll set out half a day later than us. We'll set off at 8 a.m., and they'll set off at 1 p.m.."

"We'll follow the stipulated daily marching distance and won't overtake the Transport Regiment. However, if the Transport Regiment gets delayed, we'll still have to overtake them. Similarly, as long as we don't get delayed, Lao Liu won't overtake us. The two divisions are about 17 or 18 kilometers apart."

"The area from Nanchang to Shangrao is under the full control of the revolutionary army. We still need to send a reconnaissance team, but its main mission is to survey the road conditions. The reconnaissance team will be sent by the reconnaissance company of the leading 3rd Regiment."

"That's basically it, do you understand? Okay, disband!"

Chen Tianheng gave orders, and the three infantry regiment commanders Xu Xiangqian, Wei Lihuang, and Du Yuming, as well as Yuan Yelie, who coordinated the command of the artillery-baggage marching column, received the order and rode back to their respective troops.

The First Division's entire medium- and long-distance march began.

Unlike the forced march from Hunan to the Nanxun Line in September and October, Chen Tianheng is now the division commander, and the three of them are now doing the work of riding back and forth in the column and shouting at the whole regiment to hurry up.

Chen Tianheng and the staff of the 1st Division were responsible for controlling the two-way march of five marching columns consisting of 9,000 people.

The five marching columns are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regimental Columns, the Artillery-Bayourship Column, and the Divisional Column. A dual-route march means that foot columns and horse trains can now march side by side.

Ahead of the First Division was the Jiangyou Army's logistics transport regiment, a fleet of horse-drawn carts and handcarts. They moved swiftly, as their sole responsibility was transport. Camping was simply sleeping, not involving troop arrangements. In short, this uncontrolled battlefield NPC wouldn't block the path ahead.

Thanks to the popularity of horse-drawn carriages in southeastern provinces since the late Qing Dynasty, roads between major cities east of Jiangxi Province can basically be called highways. Of course, they are not paved roads but gravel roads, but they are very wide and can be considered two-lane highways in most sections. Two Ford sedans can pass each other on the road without having to pull over to the side to give way, except on steep sections and bridges.

When marching on such a wide road, all the horse-drawn carriages of the First Division were pulled out separately and walked on the "motor vehicle lane" in the middle of the road, while those walking on two legs walked on the "sidewalk" next to the motor vehicle lane.

"What is the approximate load-bearing capacity of a road like this?"

Chen Tianheng asked Huang Wei, director of the logistics department of the division staff.

"According to the documentation, the maximum vehicle that can pass is a five-ton vehicle," Huang Wei said. "That's the weight of the largest truck you can buy today, fully loaded. But this is a theoretical value, based on dry roads. It's harder to say when it's raining."

Chen Tianheng: "To be precise, this is the largest truck China can buy. The United States and Europe have vehicles heavier than this. ... It happens to be winter with little rain, so the road conditions are favorable for us.

Chen Mingren: "Haha, but the temperature is not good for us. Soldiers must cover themselves tightly when sleeping at night."

Huang Wei: "But this time we didn't rush. We followed a routine every day and stopped at 5 p.m. to camp. They had plenty of time to pack up."

……

When the First Division departed Nanchang, citizens lined the streets to see them off. Along the way, townspeople and farmers' associations offered roadside assistance, such as providing steaming hot water. The route they took initially lay not far from the southern shore of Poyang Lake—now significantly larger than it was in the 21st century, extending as far as the edge of Jinxian County. Even during their first day of camping, Chen Tianheng could faintly smell the lake's scent—the odor of winter-withered waterweed.

"The entire division performed well today," Chen Tianheng said. "Out of a division of 9,000 men, the recovery team only picked up over 30 stragglers throughout the day."

"Look at the soles of the feet of officers and soldiers throughout the division. They're already covered in calluses. They walked 300 kilometers from Changsha to Yongxu, then back and forth from Nanchang to Jiujiang on the Nanxun Line. Training in Jiujiang means they have to run every three to five days. The entire division is now avid walkers."