When the Chief of Staff of the 180th Division Yan Yuhui walked into the division headquarters excitedly, he found that the division commander Xiang Tianhu was answering the phone.
Weird, a little surprised, a little excited, a little unexpected, but mostly stunned and confused.
After a long time, Xiang Tianhu put down the phone and said to Yan Yuhui: "Chief of Staff, do you think it's strange? The chief executive just called me personally from Luoyang to express his views on our active offensive in central and southern Jiangsu.
Yes, and warm congratulations on our achievements, but why do I not understand it? When did we launch an active offensive in the central and southern Jiangsu areas? Where did the results come from? I left it to the general manager to figure it out
Senseless."
Yan Yuhui said: "Master, I was just about to tell you this."
"Well, you know?" Xiang Tianhu's expression perked up and he asked anxiously, "What's going on?"
Yan Yuhui waved his hands and said, "I can't explain a sentence or two. Master, you'd better go out and see for yourself."
After saying that, Yan Yuhui made an invitation to Xiang Tianhu. Xiang Tianhu gave Yan Yuhui a startled look and immediately turned around and walked out of the division headquarters to the playground outside.
As soon as he walked out of the division headquarters gate, Xiang Tianhu was stunned by the sight in front of him.
The headquarters of the 180th Division was originally a school, and outside the division headquarters was the school playground. However, the playground was already crowded with war horses. Xiang Tianhu recognized at a glance that these horses were from the cavalry battalion directly under the division.
The horses themselves were not worthy of surprise to Xiang Tianhu. What surprised Xiang Tianhu was what was on the horses.
I saw that these war horses were loaded with a lot of equipment!
These equipment can be described as diverse, including everything, including three-step rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars, and even a large number of radio stations and generators. What surprised Xiang Tianhu even more was that from these equipment
The nameplates and logos are all Japanese weapons and equipment.
"This, this, this..." Even though Xiang Tianhu was used to seeing big scenes, he couldn't help but be a little surprised at this moment. He looked back at Yan and Hui and said calmly, "Where did these Japanese weapons and equipment come from?"
Yan Yuhui turned his attention to Tiegang and said, "Tiegang, Master, I want to ask you something."
Tiegang took a step forward and said honestly: "I'll talk to you when I go back to the teacher. Someone else gave it to me."
"Who gave it to someone else?" Xiang Tianhu asked, "Who is so generous? One guy gave our 180th Division so much Japanese weapons and equipment. Let me see, it's almost enough to equip a regiment, right?
"
Tiegang shook his head and said: "Master, these equipments are enough to equip a division."
Xiang Tianhu said: "You haven't answered me yet, who is so generous?"
Tie Gang said in a deep voice: "Temporary battalion commander of the 79th Division, Xu Rui."
Xiang Tianhu was surprised: "Temporary battalion commander of the 79th Division, Xu Rui?"
"Yes." Tiegang nodded, "Battle Commander Xu said that a favor with a meal must be repaid, and a favor with a drop of water must be repaid. Because our 180th Division helped their battalion, he was willing to provide a whole regiment of Japanese weapons and equipment.
As a thank you gift."
"It's over, it's over, this gift is too heavy, how can I be embarrassed, how can I be embarrassed." Xiang Tianhu rubbed his hands repeatedly, but his eyes, expression and tone betrayed him. Xiang Tianhu said he was sorry.
, but he had already accepted it with a smile in his heart. Even if Xu Rui came to ask for it at this time, he would not be able to get this batch of equipment back.
Not to mention, this batch of equipment really helped the 180th Division a lot.
After the July 7th Incident, the Sino-Japanese War broke out in an all-round way. The 29th Army withstood the first wave of fierce attacks by the Japanese troops in North China. The losses were very heavy. Later, the 29th Army was expanded into the 1st Group Army, with three infantry corps and one infantry corps under its jurisdiction.
The cavalry army seems to have a large establishment, but in fact it is an empty frame. Not only is it seriously short of personnel, but it is also seriously lacking in equipment.
The 180th Division is also empty-handed. When it just retreated from Pingjin to Huainan for replenishment, it only has less than one regiment of troops at full strength, and its equipment is seriously lacking. Even the fire guns and old sleeves from nearby towns and township offices are missing.
He was forcibly requisitioned by Xiang Tianhu, which caused complaints from the Huainan gentry.
Therefore, the batch of Japanese weapons sent by Xu Rui really solved the urgent need of the 180th Division.
However, after solving the problem of equipment, Xiang Tianhu immediately had a new problem. Now he has firearms, and even has more than a dozen cannons for the first time, enough to form an artillery battalion. However, the supply of ammunition has become a problem.
A new problem arises. These are all Japanese-style ordnance. Where can he get ammunition?
Fortunately, the ordnance presented by Xu Rui also included a batch of ammunition. This batch of ammunition was enough to last for a while. As for where to get ammunition in the future, we will talk about it later.
At that moment, Xiang Tianhu said to Tiegang: "Gangzi, where is Commander Xu?"
"Didn't come," Tiegang said honestly, "Battle Commander Xu left with the troops halfway."
"How can that be done? Take people to chase!" Xiang Tianhu immediately changed his expression and said anxiously, "Battle Commander Xu gave our 180th Division such a heavy gift, how could our 180th Division not express it? Otherwise,
If this matter spreads, wouldn’t it make the whole of China laugh at us in the 180th Division for our lack of etiquette?”
Seeing Tiegang standing there without moving, Yan Yuhui urged: "Battlemaster Tie, why don't you hurry up and give chase?"
As the chief of staff of the 180th Division, Yan Yuhui knew Xiang Tianhu's temperament very clearly. Or, to put it more simply, if Xiang Tianhu sticks his butt out, Yan Yuhui will know what he wants to do. Obviously,
Xiang Tianhu was interested in talents and wanted to recruit Xu Rui, a tiger general, under his command. Or to put it more bluntly, Xiang Tianhu wanted to recruit the temporary 79th Division Battalion.
Regarding Xiang Tianhu's plan, Yan Yuhui naturally supported it with both hands, because Xu Rui is really a great general!
Let’s not talk about the previous battles of Wuxi, Baoxing and Nantong. Where did this great gift come from? It was obviously seized from the little devils. The temporary 79th Division and Battalion were all driven away by the little devils.
He has become a lost dog, but he can bite back and eat an entire regiment of Japanese soldiers. What kind of ability is this?
If such a tiger general can be under the command of the 180th Division, the combat effectiveness of the 180th Division will be greatly improved!
However, no matter whether he gave orders to Tianhu or urged Yan Yuhui, Tiegang still stood where he was and did not move.
"What, you don't want to go?" Seeing Tiegang not moving, Xiang Tianhu became angry, "Do I have to whip you with a whip?"
Tiegang sighed and said: "Master, I know what you are thinking. You should give up. Battalion Commander Xu said before leaving that he was extremely disappointed with the National Government, so he decided to leave the National Army.
order of battle, and plans to go to the Damei Mountains to carry out independent guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines."
Xiang Tianhu's face suddenly changed slightly when he heard this, thinking that there was another Lu Zhengchao.
Lu Zhengchao led his troops to break away from the Northeastern Army a few months ago and became an anti-Japanese armed force under his leadership. This caused a great shock throughout North China and even the whole of China. In fact, national army generals like Lu Zhengchao who were extremely disappointed with the Nationalist Government
There are definitely a few, and Xiang Tianhu is one of them, but he does not have the courage of Lu Zhengcao, and Song Zheyuan treats Xiang Tianhu very well, and he really cannot bear to abandon him.
Yan Yuhui also felt a sinking feeling in his heart and advised: "Master, in this case, I think let it go. Everyone has their own ambitions. Even if Battalion Commander Xu comes to our 180th Division, he may not be able to retain him."
"Forget it." Xiang Tianhu nodded and said, "We in China have always paid attention to courtesy and reciprocity. It stands to reason that Battalion Commander Xu gave us such a big gift, and our 180th Division should show some expression, but in the current situation
, but we really don’t have anything to offer in return, so let me just say that in the future, whenever there is difficulty in temporarily establishing the 79th Division Battalion, whether we can help or cannot, our 180th Division must give our full support."
"Yes!" Tiegang and Yan Yuhui stood at attention and said with serious faces.
"Okay." Xiang Tianhu waved his hand and said, "The army just called us. It's time for us to move to Huai'an."
Yan Yuhui nodded and said: "Master, what's the reply from the commander-in-chief? Although Battalion Commander Xu gave us a regiment of Japanese weapons and equipment, after all, this regiment is temporarily assigned to the 79th Division Battalion.
Yes, our 180th Division can accept the equipment of the temporary 79th Division, but we cannot take their credit, right?"
"Chief of Staff, you are being hypocritical." Xiang Tianhu waved his hand and said disapprovingly, "Battle Commander Xu even gave us the Japanese weapons and equipment of an entire regiment, so why would he care about this mere military exploit? The commander of the theater department still cares about this.
You still don’t know Chairman Chiang’s temperament, but a motley crew like ours can only get a telegram of commendation for killing the Emperor of Japan.”
Yan Yuhui smiled bitterly and said: "It's true that the War Zone Commander and Chairman Chiang Kai-shek always only care about the Central Army."
"So, we don't need to care about this military exploit at all." Xiang Tianhu snorted, "What's more, the temporary 79th Division Battalion is now eager for our 180th Division to match their military exploits."
"Why is this?" Yan Yuhui and Tiegang asked in confusion.
Xiang Tianhu said happily: "Think about it, although the temporary 79th Division Battalion can fight, it will eventually be full of wounded soldiers and has become a tired division. What they urgently need now is rest and recuperation. Our 180th Division can support them.
With the military exploits of the Temporary 79th Division, we have attracted the wrath of the Japanese, and the Temporary 79th Division can rest peacefully in Damei Mountain."
"It's true." Yan Yuhui nodded and said with deep approval, "At this time, we are taking on the merits of the temporary 79th Division. I really can't tell whether we are helping or taking credit from others."
"We act for the sake of peace of mind, so why worry about these little details?" Xiang Tianhu waved his hand and continued, "On the other hand, I don't know where this batch of Japanese weapons and equipment came from. Is it true that the temporary 79th Division Battalion is really
Annihilating a Japanese infantry regiment on the way to escape? This is too exaggerated."
"This..." Tiegang whispered, "it may not be the strength of the temporary 79th Division."
After a pause, Tiegang told him again what he saw in Hai'an and the Qixing Lake swamp.
"Ghost?" Xiang Tianhu, Yan Yuhui were awe-struck upon hearing this, "Are there really ghosts in this world?"
