NCCnovel Chapter 425: Dead lips and cold teeth
Chapter 425: Dead lips and cold teeth
But Li Yunlong in Qingyang was not so slow. Yao County was only eighty miles away from Qingyang, and these cavalrymen would be able to attack in no time.
If the enemy really came to the city, his garrison regiment might not be able to survive. Fortunately, he had an airborne battalion beside him, and the 202nd Airborne Regiment was also training in Qingyang.
"The airdrop battalion will march forward 15 kilometers in company units, carrying walkie-talkies and closely monitoring the situation in the east!"
After Li Yunlong finished the arrangements, he and Wang Meng received a piece of bad news at the same time. The shortest route from Qingyang to Yongji Yellow River Bridge must pass through Luochuan and Yichuan. However, a convoy that set out this morning to deliver gasoline has not been heard from since entering Luochuan.
Li Yunlong walked to the military map and looked at the line between Xi'an and Yan'an, and a picture began to appear in his mind.
Yaoxian, Luochuan and Yichuan basically formed a semicircle, surrounding Yan'an. If these three places were controlled by the Central Army, and then attacked Yan'an from the north and south, Yan'an's military strength would really not be enough.
However, Wang Meng had already informed Li Yunlong of the intelligence, so he could do nothing about it. Since the Eighth Route Army did not take it seriously and had no time to take care of it, he could not force them to go to war, right?
Li Yunlong immediately ordered the aviation division's reconnaissance squadron to take off and conduct a series of low-altitude reconnaissance along the line from Yongji Yellow River Bridge to Qingyang.
Two hours later, the reconnaissance plane flew directly to Qingyang Airport, developed the photos, and reported them to Li Yunlong.
Li Yunlong looked at the photos. Except for the large number of cavalry of the Central Army in Yao County, there were not a large number of soldiers in action in Luochuan and Yichuan, only small groups of the Central Army.
Although it seems no different from previous frictions, it is a bit strange that the convoy lost contact again.
Just as Li Yunlong was about to send out a search team, the convoy once again established contact with Pingshun and Qingyang.
According to radio reports, the Eighth Route Army that originally controlled various intersections were all driven away, and the checkpoints at various intersections were all replaced by personnel from the Central Army.
When they passed through Yichuan, they were detained by the Central Army, but later the officers at the checkpoint released them again after some trouble.
Not only did they let them go, they also sent a company of soldiers to escort them away.
"This is weird, what is Hu Zongnan doing?"
In fact, Hu Zongnan was also troubled. The order he received was not to have any conflict with the Independent Column. After all, as long as Li Yunlong was given the slightest excuse, he would definitely participate in the conflict.
By then, his armored forces would cross the Yongji Yellow River Bridge and push down from north to south. Not only would they fail to destroy Yan'an, but they would also lose several pieces of territory and might even lose Xi'an.
Therefore, when he received the news that his subordinates had seized the independent column's convoy, he immediately ordered them to be released and had the Central Army escort them out of Yichuan to prevent any real accidents from happening. This became another reason for Li Yunlong to send troops.
But Li Yunlong and the others would never guess that this was the reason.
"Stay alert!"
On the morning of June 1943, 6, Hu Zongnan of the Eighth War Zone led an army of 3 and pressed forward toward Yichuan. In less than a day, they had set up camp on the southern front line 200 miles away from Yan'an.
The central army in Shenmu and Fugu in the north also began to press southward, aiming at Yan'an.
This large-scale troop movement is no longer something that a small person like Director Wu can judge.
He reported the intelligence to the Eighth Route Army headquarters with trepidation, and he did not dare to hide anything that had happened before and after, reporting it in detail.
"What? You dare to eat such important information like this? Director Wu, you have a big appetite! I tell you, you are suspended from your duties now. If this matter has serious consequences, you will be court-martialed! Get out!"
Director Wu fled out in a panic and was taken to the solitary confinement room by the guards.
The boss stood in front of the map, looking at the surrounding situation with a frown on his face.
"How many troops do we have now?"
"Just a brigade."
"359nd Brigade?"
"Yes, it is the 359th Brigade that is striving for self-sufficiency!"
The commander took a deep breath. The 359th Brigade was good at using hoes, but they had not experienced any tough battles in many years, so their combat effectiveness was still questionable.
"First send a telegram to Chongqing and Hu Zongnan to inquire about their intentions for large-scale mobilization!"
Hu Zongnan's reply was also very high-sounding. Of course, he could not say that he was here to beat you up, but he wanted to use the excuse of a military march to get away with it.
They are not fools. Hu Zongnan is now planning a blitzkrieg, and setting up camp before dark is just a cover. His real intention is to attack with a large army when it is dark!
Yan'an now only has one brigade. How can it resist an army of hundreds of thousands?
"Send a telegram to Li Yunlong! We beg them to send troops to rescue us!"
After receiving the distress telegram, Li Yunlong was also in a dilemma.
It is not the time to break off relations with Chongqing. It is not a big problem to create some minor frictions and put pressure on the Central Army, but it will take at least a regiment of troops to break the siege, which is equivalent to breaking off relations.
Pingshun is in a good time to develop now. If they really fall out with Chongqing, and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, the Central Army, and the Japanese invaders attack them together, they will really be outnumbered.
All the bottles and jars developed over the years will be smashed!
After all, although the Independent Column now has seven armored divisions, one infantry division, one artillery division, and an aviation division in Shanxi, plus its direct-affiliated troops, it has a total of 200,000 troops.
But the three forces have more troops, and once they destroy the logistical supply, the combat effectiveness of the armored division and the aviation division will be greatly reduced, because he can't let the soldiers push armored vehicles and carry planes to fight, right?
All in all, it’s not time to start a war yet!
But we have to help the Eighth Route Army. They are our brothers and we will be in dire straits if one is to die!
Li Yunlong sent a telegram to Wang Meng, asking him for help. This kid usually has a lot of clever ideas, I really don’t know what’s wrong with his brain!
Li Yunlong didn't know that Wang Meng learned all those clever ideas from TV dramas, and he put them into practice!
After Wang Meng received the telegram, he was walked around the command center twice.
"Contact the military uniform factory for me, now!"
Two hours later, several transport planes took off from Pingshun Airport and flew to Qingyang and Yongji respectively.
Another hour later, boxes of supplies were delivered to Kong Jie's Fifth Armored Division and Li Yunlong in Qingyang.
Li Yunlong opened the box and looked at it suspiciously.
"Is your chief of staff crazy? Why are you sending me these things?"