The Sichuan Army's request for supplies fell into silence, and the hungry and cold Sichuan Army had to smash open the weapons depot of the Jinsui Army to supply supplies on its own.
However, this was a big shock. Only half an hour later, calls and telegrams of complaints flew like snowflakes to the headquarters of the Second Theater Command Commander. After receiving the news, Commander Yan Xishan became furious.
He personally telegraphed the Wuhan Military Commission and cursed loudly: "These Sichuan monkeys are not enough to resist the war and are more than enough to disturb the people. They are completely bandits. Our second theater can't feed them, so transfer them as soon as possible!"
The Sichuan Army rushed thousands of miles to the Shanxi battlefield. It was freezing cold at the moment, and they were still wearing the autumn clothes they had left Sichuan in. These stubborn and strong Sichuan men did not know that they had become unwanted outcasts on the battlefield.
Since September, in just a few months, the Sichuan Army has organized twelve armies with a total of 300,000 people to go to the front lines of the Anti-Japanese War in various places. Among them, the 26th Division of Yang Sen's 20th Army relied on inferior equipment on the Songhu battlefield.
One of the five divisions with the best record.
However, the 22nd Group Army heading to the Shanxi battlefield was not so lucky. Instead of receiving any supplies, they were separated into battalions and regiments and sent to various battlefields. Almost everywhere they went, they were captured before they could assemble.
The line of fire was drawn.
These Sichuan soldiers fought bloody battles in the cold weather in the north and endured rolling eyes and ridicules. Each of them felt extremely wronged in their hearts.
Yan Xishan's complaint went to the Wuhan Military Commission. Chiang Kai-shek was furious when he learned about it. When he left Sichuan, Liu Xiang, the chairman of Sichuan Province, repeatedly assured him that the Sichuan army would fight the enemy bravely and never disturb the people. However, after several battles,
After losing the battle, the complainants came again, which made him very angry.
"Niang Xipi, transfer them back! Transfer them back to Sichuan and let them continue to be emperors and bandits!"
Chiang Kai-shek had always looked down upon these local bastards, and now that something like this happened again, he was naturally furious.
But Bai Chongxi also knew that Chiang Kai-shek was speaking out of anger. During the Songhu-Nanjing War, all the armies affiliated with the central government suffered heavy losses. Although the Sichuan Army had poor weapons and equipment and this kind of thing happened again, it was still a very strong force.
Therefore, Bai Chongxi had to personally call Cheng Qian, the commander of the First War Zone in Zhengzhou, hoping that he could take over the Sichuan troops from the north. After all, the First War Zone was short of troops and needed to replenish its troops.
However, after the commander of the first theater heard the whole story, he also refused uncharacteristically: "I don't want the bad troops that Yan Laoxi doesn't want. What I want is troops that can fight."
Faced with Cheng Qian's rejection, Bai Chongxi also felt deeply embarrassed. If those Sichuan troops were transferred back to Sichuan at this moment, the frontline troops would be even more stretched. But if they don't want them in the second theater or the third theater, there's nothing he can do for a while.
News of Yan Xishan's complaint to the Military Commission soon spread to the frontline Sichuan troops. They learned that these Sichuan troops who had gone to the battlefield in Shanxi and fought several defeats and killed tens of thousands of their brothers were filled with indignation and felt extremely aggrieved.
Even Deng Xihou and Sun Zhen, the commanders of the 22nd Sichuan Army Group, were relatively speechless, shaking their heads and sighing.
"We lost the battle and went back in such despair. This is an embarrassment to us Sichuan people."
"But what should we do now that no one wants us?" Sun Zhen was also very helpless.
Thinking of the cause of all this today, Deng Xihou stood up angrily and said: "Catch the person who took the lead in smashing the armory of the Shanxi-Sui Army and send it to Commander Yan to see if there is any room for redemption."
Sun Zhen shook his head and said: "This will chill the hearts of the brothers. The brothers are now on the verge of collapse without food or clothing. It would be bad if we arrest people again and trigger a mutiny."
When Deng Xihou heard what Sun Zhen said, he had to sit down again dejectedly: "What should we do?"
"We have to wait for orders from our superiors. In the worst case, we will return to Sichuan."
"But we vowed to go out to Sichuan to fight the war, but how can we face those Sichuan elders when we go back in such despair?"
Sun Zhen sighed: "That's better than freezing to death and starving to death here in Shanxi."
The head coach of the Sichuan Army, Liu Xiang, went to Hankou to recuperate due to the recurrence of an old illness. The Sichuan Army, who were scattered in various battlefields, suddenly became like children without parents, suffering unfair treatment but with nowhere to complain.
When Deng Xihou and Sun Zhen were preparing to return to Sichuan in disgrace with the 22nd Army, General Bai Chongxi of the Military Commission was still looking for help for their whereabouts.
In the end, he had to call Li Zongren of the Fifth War Zone Commander's Department, hoping that he, a fellow from Guangxi, could take in the unwanted Sichuan troops.
Although the Second War Zone is far away from the Fifth War Zone, Bai Chongxi does not want to transfer the Sichuan Army back to Sichuan and hopes that they will continue to fight on the front line.
After General Li Zongren, commander of the Fifth Theater Command, received a call from General Bai Chongxi, he unexpectedly agreed to take over the Sichuan Army, which made Bai Chongxi very happy.
Now the Japanese 10th and 5th Divisions are attacking south, and the Japanese 13th Division is also attacking Bengbu and Huainan, and is constantly increasing its troops. There is a strong idea of joining Xuzhou. Li Zongren's troops are stretched thin, and he is eager to mobilize the Sichuan Army from Shanxi.
to his fifth war zone.
When General Bai Chongxi saw that General Li Zongren agreed to fight so simply, he thought that the commanders of the first and second theaters did not want it, so he asked again: "They can't fight and destroy the army. Are you really sure you want it? If you don't want it, I will
Think of another way?"
General Li Zongren laughed loudly: "Yes, please transfer them over. Back then, Zhuge Liang's idiots could borrow arrows. The Sichuan army must be at least stronger than those idiots."
In this way, the 22nd Army of the Sichuan Army heading to Shanxi had to leave Yan Xishan's second theater, then cross the first theater, braving the wind and snow to arrive at General Li Zongren's fifth theater.
General Li Zongren's headquarters was established in Xuzhou, which had telephone lines extending in all directions. After learning that the Sichuan troops had arrived, he personally greeted them.
Sichuan Army generals Deng Xihou and Sun Zhen were extremely moved when they saw that the commander-in-chief, General Li Zongren, personally greeted them. This was beyond their expectations.
They became an unwanted army. General Li Zongren took them in and now welcomed them personally. This made several Sichuan army generals secretly vow to repay the kindness of taking them in.
Li Zongren welcomed several Sichuan army generals into the headquarters and asked people to pour boiling water for them. Then he asked kindly: "How are the troops?"
Deng Xihou replied: "Our 22nd Army currently has eight regiments left, with more than 20,000 people."
"How many people are you originally?" Li Zongren asked again.
"We had more than 40,000 people when we left Sichuan. After several defeats, we only had more than 20,000 left..."
Deng Xihou couldn't help wiping his tears as he spoke: "Sir Li, if you give us some food and ammunition, we will definitely fight well. Please trust us, Sr. Li."
General Li Zongren also knew that the Sichuan army's equipment was extremely poor. He promised: "Don't worry, when you get to the fifth theater, you will ask the troops in the fifth theater. I will never favor one. If you have any difficulties, we will all help together."
Li Zongren's words moved several Sichuan army generals deeply, and they vowed: "We will repay to the death the kindness of Chief Li."
After a few people exchanged pleasantries, General Li Zongren sighed and said: "Now the Japanese army is approaching Lunan. I wanted you to rest for a while, but now my troops are stretched thin. I wonder if you are willing to go?"
Although Li Zongren was asking for their opinions, Deng Xihou and the others also knew that Li Zongren's fifth theater was full of miscellaneous troops, many of which had not yet arrived on the battlefield. In order to repay their kindness, they agreed without hesitation.
"Well, I'll wait for the news of your victory." Li Zongren was very happy. With the Sichuan army going to block the gap left by Han Fuchu's unauthorized retreat, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Li Zongren did not break his promise and quickly allocated 600 new guns and a large amount of ammunition to the Sichuan Army, as well as a lot of mortars and cotton uniforms, which made the Sichuan Army general even more grateful.
After reorganizing and receiving weapons and equipment in Xuzhou, the 22nd Army of the Sichuan Army immediately headed for the Lunan area without stopping. Among them, Wang Mingzhang's 122nd Division was stationed in Tengxian County to resist the aggressive Japanese troops moving south.