Deputy Battalion Commander Zeng Quan said: "Battal Commander, the instructors rushed the recruits to me as soon as they moved. Fortunately, many of the recruits were former Jinsui Army, otherwise I would not be able to train them. The training of almost 600 people
, I can’t be careless at all, so I’m also very busy!”
"Everyone sit down, something happened outside the mountain! Xiao Zhang, report what you learned to the instructor and the deputy battalion commander!" Wang Ping pointed to the two stools in front of him and said.
When the guard introduced them, the smiles on the two people's faces disappeared and became heavy.
As soon as the introduction was completed, Cheng Xiao said with emotion: "Battalion Commander, our opponent is very cunning. He must have seen our intention to consume a large number of their veterans, and then quickly reduced our troops, preferring to abandon the stronghold to keep these veterans.
, Guarantee troop expansion!”
Zeng Quan immediately responded: "In this way, the Japs will expand into brigade groups faster than we expected, and the less time we have to accumulate strength!"
"In a word, the situation in Laiyuan is getting worse and worse for us!" Cheng Xiao said with a heavy tone, and then a worried expression appeared on his face.
Wang Ping spoke at this time and gave an astonishing reply: "Lao Cheng, and Lao Zeng, you two don't be discouraged. The Japanese are indeed very cunning and their reaction speed is very fast. However, our independent battalion's reaction speed is also impatient.
.Didn’t I just say that in the report? Zhang Qing has already begun to contact the other two company commanders to prepare to attack the Japanese and puppet troops returning to the city."
"Our independent battalion is so well-equipped. The company commanders and instructors of the three companies are all veteran Red Army soldiers, and guerrilla warfare is their specialty. I believe that the five or six hundred Japanese who were ordered to return to the city will be defeated by them even if they do not die.
A layer of skin fell off.”
"Also, don't forget another thing. After the Japanese abandoned their stronghold for the veterans, there is no Japanese and puppet army in the surrounding villages and towns in Laiyuan except for Laiyuan City. This is an opportunity for our independent battalion.
!”
Cheng Xiao reacted immediately: "Battal Commander, what you mean is to take advantage of the snobbery of the Japanese and puppet troops outside the city to establish a base area!"
"No, it would take too long to directly establish a base area. The Japanese will not give us that long!" Wang Ping shook his head and replied.
"We can use this opportunity to recruit as many troops as we can throughout Laiyuan. There is also an intelligence network. Instructor, you can cover every village and town in Laiyuan with our intelligence network."
"In this case, even if the Japanese mixed brigade is completed in the future, their every move in Laiyuan City will not escape our eyes!"
"A war is all about intelligence. As long as we have more accurate intelligence than the Japanese and puppet troops, we can find fighter planes and defeat them!"
Seeing Wang Ping becoming more and more confident as he spoke, Zeng Quan on the side immediately asked: "Batalion Commander, do you already have an idea?"
"Not bad!" Wang Ping affirmed without hesitation.
"On the surface, it seems that the Japanese have seen through our combat purpose, and their series of reactions have also become our crisis. But nothing is absolute. As long as we think about it well and arrange it well, the crisis may turn into an opportunity.
!”
Cheng Xiao immediately asked: "What do you think, battalion commander?"
"I want to make it easy for the Japanese to abandon these strongholds outside the city, but it will not be so easy to return to these strongholds and reoccupy them in the future. Not only will it not be easy, it will also be very difficult. As for how to do it specifically, I can't decide yet. It will be based on
The situation will be decided at that time!" Wang Ping replied with a mysterious smile.
"Then what do we do now?" Zeng Quan continued to ask.
"Two things. First, let the three companies end the battle quickly, and then transport all the harvest back to the station. The tasks of the first company and the guard platoon remain unchanged. They will continue to keep an eye on Laiyuan City to prevent the Japanese from leaving the city to attack us!"
"The second thing is, the second and third companies are all sent out in platoon units. Instructor, take out all the money in our hands, and then send out all the political cadres in the camp, bring the money, and follow these main platoons.
Go to every village and town in Laiyuan City to recruit me troops. As long as the conditions are qualified, we will recruit as many as there are!"
"In the past few days, companies 2 and 3 have sent back a lot of money. Including what we left before, it exceeds 3,000 yuan. According to the old rules, there is no problem in recruiting 1,000 troops!" Instructor Cheng Xiao did not raise any objection and was very sure.
answer.
Wang Ping shook his head and retorted: "No, a thousand recruits must be missing. Tell a few main platoon leaders that the Japanese army has occupied Laiyuan City for several months, and there must be many die-hard traitors working for the Japanese around.
.Now that their master has left, when recruiting troops, as long as they come across anyone who has real evidence that they are traitors, have done evil things, and have blood debts on their hands, we will resolutely capture them."
"The seized supplies were divided into three parts. One part was given to the local people to let everyone recognize our Eighth Route Army. The remaining supplies were all sent back to the station. From now on, we will also stock up on more supplies. As for the seized money, in addition to gold and silver, ordinary silver dollars
Leave them all to recruit!"
"Then what do we do?" Cheng Xiao and Zeng Quan asked almost simultaneously.
Wang Ping did not answer immediately: "Old Zeng, your mission remains unchanged, continue to train new recruits. But the puppet soldiers and ordinary people among the recruits must be separated. We will definitely have a big battle to fight next, and many of the puppet soldiers are veterans.
, as long as the time is right, we can replenish the troops immediately!"
"Instructor, your most important task is to screen the prisoners. The next three companies will definitely send back many prisoners. Those who are willing to join us if the conditions are suitable will be sent to the deputy battalion commander for training as soon as possible. If the conditions are not suitable, they should be surrendered.
Those who work hard will be sent to the engineer platoon."
"The time left by the Japanese army to us is getting shorter and shorter, and the progress of the engineering platoon's construction of the fortification group must be accelerated!"
"As for me, I will go back to the military division immediately and try to establish a radio link between us and the military division to facilitate our future contact. In addition, the situation in Laiyuan has become increasingly serious. An independent battalion certainly cannot face such a bad situation.
situation, so I plan to ask the commander for the establishment of an independent regiment!"
The expansion of the independent battalion into an independent regiment means that both Cheng Xiao and Zeng Quan have improved their status in the military.
As a soldier, no one does not desire to have a higher platform to show himself.
Therefore, as soon as Wang Ping mentioned the expansion of the army, the eyes of the two people became intense. After a while, Cheng Xiao slowly calmed down and reminded Wang Ping.
"Battal Commander, even if the situation in Laiyuan is getting worse, wouldn't it be a good idea to directly ask your superiors for establishment?"
"It's okay!" Wang Ping replied with certainty: "This is the agreement between the commander and me. As long as the troops are pulled up and established in Laiyuan, the independent battalion will be expanded into an independent regiment. Commander Nie of the military region also knows about this.
Don’t worry!”
"In addition, I want to return a favor to Commander Chen when I go back this time. I promised him to exchange the equipment of a Japanese infantry company for twenty veterans, but he gave it to me without saying a word. I promised him the weapons.
You can’t go back on your word either.”
"We don't have enough Japanese-style equipment ourselves, so we won't give it to you. Instructor, please prepare two hundred bullets for me, three made in the Czech Republic, and three grenade launchers. All the bullets are 100 rounds for the rifle and 500 rounds for the machine gun.
It's a standard issue. Bring it back to Commander Chen when you return to the military division!"
"No problem!" The influence and benefits of twenty veterans on the independent camp are too great. Cheng Xiao is very clear about the pros and cons, and he affirmed after thinking about it.
