Han Baihang waved his hand to let the officers from the headquarters exit, and said in a serious tone: "Why are you so scared? It's the Anhui army that is so anxious. Don't forget that Xu Shuzheng is in our hands, which means the initiative is on our side! How to open up the situation?
, Actually I already have a way, but..."
At this point, he paused and stopped talking.
"Just what?" Lin Jianyue said impatiently.
"It's just that this method is dangerous, so we need to borrow Deputy Commander Zhong Lin to do it," Han Baihang said.
Lin Jianyue was stunned for a moment and said suspiciously: "You want me to do it?"
Han Baihang said: "I just asked Deputy Commander Lin to be a lobbyist to persuade the Anhui army to surrender."
When Lin Jianyue heard about this method, he immediately showed a vigilant expression, shook his head and said: "No, no, the Anhui army wants to cut me into pieces. If I go, who will be better?"
Han Baihang had already expected that Lin Jianyue would not agree, which is why he has not proposed this method. It would be better if he did not say it. If he did, Lin Jianyue would most likely mistakenly think that he wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate dissidents. It is easy to cause misunderstandings. After all, the two of them are
Cooperate hastily, but we are still wary of each other.
"This is just a suggestion. It's up to Deputy Commander Lin to decide whether to go or not!" Han Baihang hurriedly rounded off his words, and at the same time he thought through his thoughts and said wisely: "I have another way, but I can't guarantee whether it will be successful or not."
Lin Jianyue thought to himself that it would be fine as long as he didn't go by himself, and said, "Let's talk and listen."
Han Baihang said: "The method is very simple. Select brave and careful officers from the army, go to see the brigade commanders of each division of the Anhui army, and tell the truth about the capture of Xu Shuzheng. On the one hand, it will shake the morale of the Anhui army and make it dare not attack our army recklessly.
, the two persuade the enemy to surrender and make them available to us. Even if they can persuade one regiment to surrender, they can share the pressure on our army."
Lin Jianyue said: "I'm afraid no one will believe it."
Han Baihang said: "It's easy to say. We captured more than 20 members of Xu Shuzheng's bodyguard when they were in the hospital. They all knew that Xu Shuzheng was indeed captured, but if they were sent at the same time, the enemy would definitely believe it."
"You can give it a try!" Lin Jianyue pondered for a moment and said.
Lin Jianyue immediately recruited more than ten officers from the army to the battalion and company, comforted them with kind words, promised them promotions and made a lot of money, gave them some instructions, and then sent them to the various units of the Anhui Army that were surrounded inside and outside the city. All departments of the Anhui Army responded in unison.
After capturing these officers and learning the news that Xu Shuzheng had been captured, their first reaction was to not believe how the famous Xu Shuzheng's little fan could be captured. No one believed this at all, but Xu Shuzheng's guards testified that the officers
What he said was true and caused a stir.
…
At the headquarters of the fourth brigade, Zhang Dingxun was entertaining Xu Jiyuan, the chief of staff who came from the fifth brigade. Xu Jiyuan just arrived and spent a lot of time, which made Zhang Dingxun dispel his doubts about the fifth brigade, and the two had a serious talk.
In the midst of the joy, a guard ran in from outside and saluted: "Brigade Commander, we captured several officers of the First Division at the front and said they have something to report to the Brigade Commander."
Zhang Dingxun and Xu Jiyuan looked at each other. He was worried that he could not hear any news about the First Division, so he hurriedly said: "Bring the people here."
More than ten minutes later, the guards pushed in a few people who were tied up. They kicked them to the ground and knelt down. Zhang Dingxun stared at them and asked: "What department are you waiting for? What do you want to tell me?"
One of the officers of the First Division raised his head and said: "Brigadier Zhang, your humble position is Xu Defeng, captain of the third battalion of the first regiment of the first division. On the order of our army's brigade commander Lin Jianyue, I came here to tell your army a piece of news. Chief of Staff Xu Shuzheng
Our army captured him a few days ago, and now the West Route Army is leaderless. Where to go, Brigadier Zhang, please decide for yourself." He received the order when he came, and in order to close the relationship with the 4th Mixed Brigade, he still used the name of the 1st Division with him.
During the conversation, they deliberately concealed the matter of advancing to search for the enemy detachment.
Zhang Dingxun couldn't believe that the news was true. He said angrily: "That's nonsense. Don't think that I don't know that this is Lin Jianyue's trick. He wants to seduce the minds of the army and has wishful thinking. Come on, drag these people out and kill them."
.”
His guards were about to take the man away. Xu Defeng struggled violently and shouted: "Brigadier Zhang, you don't have to believe me, but you should believe the words of Xu Shuzheng's personal guard."
Zhang Dingxun shouted suddenly: "Wait a minute." He stared at Xu Defeng and said: "Who is Chief of Staff Xu's bodyguard?"
Xu Defeng pointed to a person next to him who had something stuffed in his mouth and kept whining: "It's him!"
Zhang Dingxun's adjutant stepped forward and pulled the object out of the man's mouth. The man spat a few times and shouted: "Brigadier Zhang, I am the bodyguard of Chief of Staff Xu."
Zhang Dingxun said: "How can we prove it?"
Guard Xu Shuzheng said: "My military uniform can prove it."
Zhang Dingxun said: "This can be forged, but it is not trustworthy."
Guard Xu Shuzheng said again: "XX, the deputy platoon leader of your army's XX battalion, is from my hometown and can vouch for me."
Zhang Dingxun winked at the adjutant, who rushed out of the headquarters and soon brought in the fellow the guard mentioned. The fellow confirmed that this person was indeed Xu Shuzheng's guard. Zhang Dingxun hurriedly asked someone to untie him and asked: "
What happened in the city?"
The guard said: "After the First Division entered the city, Commander Qu was injured and hospitalized. Chief of Staff Xu led the meeting officers to visit the field hospital. Unexpectedly, they encountered an ambush and were all arrested."
Zhang Dingxun was shocked and said: "But I just called the headquarters, and Deputy Chief of Staff Liu Wenpu kept saying that Chief of Staff Xu is still there."
The guard said: "I don't know this, but Chief of Staff Xu has indeed been captured and ordered the entire army to surrender."
Zhang Dingxun looked at Xu Jiyuan with complicated expressions, and the meanings in their eyes were very different.
Xu Jiyuan said sternly: "Commander Zhang, don't listen to this man's nonsense. He must have been bribed by the rebels. Get rid of him quickly."
The guard panicked and said, "Sir, you are aware that everything I said is true."
Zhang Dingxun did not answer. He frowned and paced back and forth in the headquarters, waved his hand and said, "Take them all down and interrogate them strictly."
The guards took the man away, and Xu Jiyuan couldn't help shouting: "Brigadier Zhang, this must be a scam."
Zhang Dingxun said slowly: "What if this is true? Chief of Staff Xu has been arrested, and the West Route Army is in disarray. How can we defeat Wu Peifu? Can you or I?"
Xu Jiyuan said anxiously: "Then we should contact the headquarters as soon as possible to find out the authenticity."
Zhang Dingxun said unhurriedly: "It is necessary to find out the authenticity, but what I am worried about is not at the headquarters, but outside."
"What do you mean?" Xu Jiyuan was stunned for a moment.
Zhang Dingxun glanced at him and sneered: "Since Lin Jianyue will send people to us and other divisions and brigades, can you guarantee that everyone will be loyal?"
Xu Jiyuan took a breath of air. He suddenly understood what Zhang Dingxun meant. Once the news of Xu Shuzheng's capture spread, people's hearts would be in turmoil, and the consequences would be disastrous.
"Brother Ji Yuan, I know you are loyal to Mr. Zhi, but you have to understand current events." Zhang Dingxun patted Xu Jiyuan on the shoulder and said meaningfully.
Xu Jiyuan shook his shoulders subconsciously, took half a step back to avoid Zhang Dingxun's shoulders, and said: "Brigadier Zhang, I only know that Mr. Zhi is eagerly looking forward to our victory in Liangxiang. I must not betray him."
He, old man, I can't control the Fourth Mixed Brigade. I want to return to the Fifth Brigade immediately. Anyone who dares to have second thoughts will be destroyed."
Zhang Dingxun's expression changed, he slowly put his arms behind his back, and looked at Xu Jiyuan coldly.
"Brigadier Zhang, is it possible that you want to force me to stay?" Xu Jiyuan said stiffly, holding his neck.
Zhang Dingxun frowned and said: "I didn't mean that, I just kindly advised you that people's hearts are unpredictable, so don't be too stubborn."
Xu Jiyuan nodded noncommittally, turned around and left the headquarters, calling for the guards to rush back to the fifth brigade.
"Brigadier, why didn't you detain Xu Jiyuan just now?" Yu Qing, chief of staff of the Fourth Mixed Brigade, said at this time.
Zhang Dingxun shook his head and said: "We are all working together. What can we do if we detain him? It is better to let him go."
Yu Qing said worriedly: "But if he takes control of the army when he returns, he will definitely be on guard against our army."
Zhang Dingxun sneered and said: "He can't fight Li Ruzhang. I'm afraid his life will be at risk. Contact me immediately and ask other divisions and brigades about their movements."
