A caravan consisting of about 20 people was walking on the mountain road.
In the caravan there were carriages covered with tarpaulins, armed guards riding tall horses with weapons, followers walking on foot carrying large rucksacks, and a big yellow dog running back and forth in the caravan.
Apparently, this bushy-haired pastoral dog prefers such cool and humid weather to humans.
The people in the caravan must also be very fond of this watchdog that can warn of darkness. A middle-aged man on a horse was still complaining about how hard it was to ride a horse. When he saw the big yellow dog running towards him, he immediately smiled.
He took out a piece of dried meat from his arms and threw it. Seeing the big yellow dog catching it quickly, his face became even more happy.
No matter who looks at it from a distance, they will think that this is a very ordinary caravan nowadays.
In these years, with wars and banditry everywhere, armed escorts were absolutely normal. Even if they passed through a defense zone where Chinese troops were stationed, they would be allowed to pass as long as there were formalities issued by the headquarters.
After all, armies stationed in the mountains also need such caravans to constantly shuttle between the outside world and the mountains in order to obtain supplies other than military supplies, such as cigarettes, liquor, and even women and other contraband.
The military officers all know it, but they basically turn a blind eye. The lower-level officers and soldiers are working hard, but they are not allowed to have some fun in private? They cannot require everyone to have high moral standards.
Traveling through this kind of crisscross battlefield between China and Japan, although the risk is high, the profit is extremely considerable. There are also statistics in the military. Soldiers can't spend it in the mountains. At least half of it is lost in these merchants.
Went to the team.
Not counting the Eighty Group Army, there were more than 200,000 troops from other Chinese factions stationed in southeastern and southern Shanxi at that time. You can imagine how impressive this spending power was.
The caravans walking on the mountain roads are already extremely small in size. Some large caravans and even armed personnel have as many as two to three hundred people.
When the Japanese offensive was intense, an infantry regiment even directly requisitioned 160 armed guards from a large caravan near its station without anyone available.
The reason is very simple. If the position is broken, this large caravan with up to 400 people will not be able to survive. The owner of the caravan is also a ruthless character. He gritted his teeth and took out the 40,000 yuan earned from this trip to the mountain as requisitioned money.
The escort members were given housing expenses, and promised to pay 200 for one dead person, 100 for one injured, and 50 for the rest.
People die for money and birds die for food. This force, which rushed to the battlefield in order to make money and save their lives, was equivalent to a reinforced company. It just blocked the attacks of two Japanese squadrons in turn and helped the infantry regiment survive the crisis.
For this reason, the infantry division also specially issued a commendation order to the caravan.
As a result, the status of caravans has been slightly improved, and the frequency of traveling from Shaanxi Province to the mountains has increased.
Although it was already early summer, the drizzle in the mountains still seemed a bit cold. Even though the leading cavalry guard was wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat, he still couldn't help but shudder. He looked up at the terrain ahead and took out a map from his pocket.
I used my raincoat to block the drizzle, checked it carefully, and with a flick of the reins, the bay-red horse turned around knowingly and trotted all the way to the cart covered with a tarpaulin.
"Sir, the mountain in front of us is called Yesanpo. According to the report from the 17th Division headquarters before we set off, there is an outpost of their infantry squad stationed there. I don't know when the rain will stop. The mountain road is also rugged and difficult to travel. Look.
Why don't you go over there first and let the brothers and the horses rest for a while?" the cavalry guard said with his head lowered.
But the tone is completely different from that of a civilian organization, and is undoubtedly that of the military.
The tarpaulin was opened, and a young man wearing a top hat and robe poked his head out, looked into the distance, and then smiled slightly, showing his white teeth, "Sanjiang, you have a long row now, it's up to you whether you want to go or stay."
You don't have to ask me for instructions on everything. But you still have to pay attention. This action is of great importance. Even if the soldiers of the Northwest Army have good relations with our department, our identities cannot be exposed unless necessary. If an accident occurs, you can handle it as appropriate.
"
This young man who looks like a young man, except for people who are familiar with him, can't tell at first glance that this is Tang Tuanzuo who never leaves his body in military uniform.
Except for the last time when he first entered the Taihang Mountains to find out the whereabouts of 683, Tang Dao had never taken off his military uniform. For some reason, he put on civilian clothes this time. Even a group of subordinates wore civilian clothes, and even the guns he carried were turned into commercial clothes.
The escort team has the most equipment made in Hanyang.
I don’t know what Tang Dao is doing.
"Yes!" The cavalry guard raised his head, revealing the slightly ferocious scar on his face.
Who else could it be besides Lu Sanjiang, who had just been promoted to deputy commander and platoon commander of the reconnaissance company?
"Company officer, when we get there later we can rest for a while. The jug of wine you brought will be enough for me!" The tall and tall young man sitting on the shaft of the caravan turned around and said with a smile.
There is only one person in the entire Four Elements group who can drink wine as water and still be born so handsome.
However, what is rare is that the big sword and the scabbard that have always been on the body are no longer carried on the back, but are tied under the shaft of the car in a place that is difficult to reach.
Obviously, a coachman carrying a sword on his back can easily make people wary.
And the tired middle-aged man over there who kept complaining about the pain in the buttocks of horseback riding and the comfort of walking was probably none other than Shen Laoliu.
I guess it means that no matter how much he likes Nao Tao, he just likes to eat dried meat wherever he goes.
The round-faced young man walking at the end of the team, carrying a heavy bag wrapped in raincloth with only the muzzle of his gun exposed and a smile on his face, was a "brainless" who had just been promoted to sergeant squad leader; walking in front of him did not wash away the rain.
He was a middle-aged uncle with a cold face, so naturally he could only be 'unhappy'.
It goes without saying that just by looking at these few people, they are all the elites of the reconnaissance company of the Fourth Army Regiment's Special Agent Battalion. Even these elites do not even wear military uniforms, but transform into ordinary caravans.
Now you know how important what Tang Dao just said is of great importance.
It turned out that after some thought, the boss of the Eightyth Group Army finally gave Tang Dao the task of secretly escorting Yamashita to Linfen.
That came from the broad-mindedness of a veteran general, not only because of the interests of pulling the Four Troops into the Eightyth Army, but also because Yamashita was the one who almost sacrificed his life for the capture of the three soldiers of the Four Troops.
He did not want to take advantage of the enemy general's military exploits, even though the Eightyth Army might become more famous and more influential than before.
Even the teachers who were far away in the northwest and were in charge of the rear area heard the boss's decision and thought that what he did was correct and aboveboard, which was the truest portrayal of people like them who have ideals.
However, the injury in the context was already serious, and Tang Dao was not too concerned about his defeated opponent. It was not until the third day after the battle that the medical company performed suture surgery on his abdominal wound.
The anesthetics that are already in short supply are absolutely reluctant to be used. It is similar to Guan Wusheng's "bone scraping therapy" and the pain of just sewing with a sewing needle without anesthesia is probably the first in the life of "Taihang Zhutou Wen"
This time, even a deep coma couldn't stop his painful wails.
He was so close to dying from the pain on the operating table. Even so, he lost 80% of his life. He looked like he was dying. Not to mention the long and bumpy march to Linfen, I'm afraid I gave him peace.
If you lie down for two days without infusion, you can also go to their Amaterasu for tea.
"Don't all the Japanese like to brag that their samurai spirit and will are as strong as fine steel! Why are they so weak? The good ones came to work even though I was sick. Don't waste my Si Xing Tuan's medicine!" Tang Tuanzuo was annoyed.
Tantai Mingyue's complaints made Tantai Mingyue angry and funny.
Tang Tuanzuo seemed to have forgotten that most of the medicines in Si Xing Tuan were snatched back from the Japanese army.
It can only be said that the quality of Japanese products is indeed up to standard. Yamashita was treated by Tang Tuanzao who was even more veterinary than a veterinarian. Unexpectedly, with the maintenance of the medicine, not only did he not burp and fart, but he also miraculously recovered after two or three days.
It seems to have improved a bit.
Seeing that Yamashita's breathing had subsided, Brigadier Cheng Da, who came to 'visit' his 'darling' again, gave Tang Dao some good looks.
Otherwise, given Tang Dao's casual attitude towards the spoils of war, the living 'treasure' would become dead, and its value would be reduced by 90% in an instant. Brigadier Cheng Da, who had always been open-minded, would also have to worry about him.
When the two elders of the 921 Division heard about this, they could only smile bitterly and be puzzled. What a great opportunity to show their faces by capturing an enemy general alive!
If Tang Dao can't be mastered, he can jump from an army colonel to a general level in one step, and the Four Lines Group can expand, right? As a result, Tang Dao is not good at all, and he doesn't take it seriously at all, and even wants to kill him. For anyone
All can be motivated by trophies such as promotion and salary increase.
No, it’s not just the motive. They are sure that if the old man from Shanxi hadn’t issued the military order, Yamashita would have to be sent to Linfen alive. Moreover, everyone from the brigade commander to the regimental commander of the 683 Brigade had seen with their own eyes that Yamashita was still out of breath.
Damn it, Tang Dao had already strangled that guy to death.
Of course they don't know how powerful the "Taihang Zhutou Wen" is now. This time he was careless and underestimated the enemy and was weakened by two infantry divisions before being ambushed by Tang Dao. But if he could escape and survive,
After learning from the experience of this defeat, he may evolve into a more terrifying commander than the 'Malay Tiger' of the past time and space.
Tang Dao knew even more that Japan would never give up rescuing Yamashita, even if it was just to save the face of its army and the emperor.
And now the government under the leadership of the boss is very likely to use this product as a bargaining chip in order to gain a rare breathing space.
At this time, Japan may not care at all about the two or three months or even half a year at night. With China's current industrial and economic strength, it has also lost control of the rich land on the southeast coast and important ports in the north, and it is difficult to gain control of the Western world.
of aid, sooner or later China will be their meal.
There is more than 90% chance that this deal will be completed.
Tang Dao will naturally never allow a possibly alive Yamashita to return to the battlefield. At this time, if he is not dead, he can only be lucky, but there is at least a week left, and his life is in Tang Dao's hands.
Or, even if he arrives in Linfen, what if he is handed over to the Second Theater Command?
The former single-soldier king had even killed a grain beastman in an army of tens of thousands. How difficult would it be to kill a seriously wounded man protected by the Chinese?
Therefore, Tang Dao no longer acted so deliberately, and seeing that Yamashita's situation had stabilized a little, he took it upon himself to take this 'big treasure' that was about to be exhibited to the entire Chinese people on the road.
By the way, get back the medals and a lot of bonuses that the Four Lines Regiment won in this battle.
Of course, and more importantly, by taking advantage of the time difference of these few days, Tang Dao also perfectly and reasonably missed the opportunity to meet a certain elder who came in person on a transport plane to award medals.
Tang Dao knew in his heart that the better his Four Elements Regiment fought on the northern battlefield, the more fearful that person would be. He came here in person with the intention of meeting Tang Dao and lobbying him to lead the Four Elements Regiment to return to the Central Plains.
It's not that the Si Xing Regiment is a mere infantry regiment that is very important to him. The important thing is that he cannot tolerate the Si Xing Regiment getting closer and closer to another unit he is most afraid of.
What's terrible is that during the battle of Changle Village, the commander of the 80th Group Army was one of his most proud students. The military order from the theater headquarters originally asked him to go to Linfen to receive the honor by name. That was a serious matter.
He received the first-class Baoding Medal! But that person shied away on the grounds that the whole brigade suffered heavy casualties after the war and that he, the brigade commander, needed to deal with the aftermath personally.
This is completely an excuse for Chi Guoguo. I heard that the person who was still smiling when he heard about this incident immediately turned dark. Tell me, how can he tolerate such a 'rebellious student'?
Is an outstanding and shining army colonel getting closer and closer to him? He knows best how charming his student is.
Fortunately, the tortured Yamashita, who was about to ascend to heaven, gave Tang Dao a sufficient excuse. The one who wanted to take charge of the overall situation could not stay in North China for a long time. If the Japanese knew about it, they would risk everything and gather all the fighters from the north.
What if a wave of air raids leaves him here in the north?
In fact, Shanshan Yuan, who learned this information, had such an impulse. Unfortunately, in the battle of Changle Village, the Army Aviation suffered heavy losses, and the additional fighter planes on the island were still on the aircraft carrier. He was unable to organize thirty soldiers at all.
He can fly more than one fighter plane unless he bows to the Kwantung Army.
But it turns out that he is the Minister of War, and the generals and commanders of the Kwantung Army have to nod and bow to him. Now he is asked to beg the other party, and it is because he lost the war. Why, General Yuan Shanshan is so shameless?
In any case, the Japanese North China Front did not respond at all.
Of course, the senior Chinese spies in Pingbei City are not vegetarians. They have been paying attention to the Japanese army's reaction in the past few days. If the Japanese army makes some moves, the news will have already spread.
Several factors made it possible for the elder to take risks and arrive at the front line without disturbing the security department. By the way, it also won over a lot of military morale for him.
However, even though Tang Dao could not come to Linfen to receive the honor due to military duties, he was still quite unhappy after all. He once again wrote down Tang Dao in his notebook. The rumor that Tang Dao was about to be promoted from regiment commander to brigade commander was still there after all.
Since it became a rumor, he was given a lot of medals and bonuses.
That's because the battle at Changle Village was so great that even those people in high positions who like to find faults can't find any excuses or reasons.
The general-level commanders of the 104th and 17th divisions and the 683rd brigade who participated in the war were awarded the first-class Medal of Baoding. The subordinate colonel commanders and officers were awarded the third-class Medal of Baoding. The rest of the chief officers and adjutants at all levels were awarded the Medal of Baoding, and so on. Those who performed bravely in combat were awarded the Medal of Baoding.
Soldiers are also awarded the Medal of Baoding.
Not to mention others, as many as 60 people have been awarded the Si Xing Tuan Bao Ding Medal alone. Lao Abacus, Yang Bicheng and Tudou were all awarded the sixth class Bao Ding Medal, which is already a national medal that can be obtained by soldiers.
The highest level.
According to Li Jijin, who was awarded the fifth-class Baoding Medal, this time the regiment had to carry the Baoding Medal in a large basket. Although this statement is a bit exaggerated, in this battle of southeastern Shanxi, all the infantry divisions participating in the battle were awarded
There are so many medals of all kinds, even two points more than the last bloody battle in Taierzhuang.
If you add in the cash, gold bars and legal currency that the elder brought, Jubi has spent a lot of money this time. It is estimated that he will also set an example to the hundreds of thousands of troops who are engaged in the Jiangxia War, and tell them with facts that as long as they risk their lives and Japan
If a person works hard, his superiors will not be stingy with rewards.
The medal may not be that important, but the bonus of up to 100,000 yuan is a must, otherwise Tang Tuanzuo would not be in such a hurry to leave in such weather.
Of course, before departure, the Fourth Army Group also reported to the 22nd Army Headquarters in accordance with military regulations, and reported to the Second Theater Command as usual.
However, this operation was top secret. In order to prevent the news from leaking, Tang Dao and his team did not wear military uniforms. They took the road sign issued by the 22nd Army Headquarters and presented themselves as a caravan. They even passed several checkpoints in the 104th Division Friendly Army Defense Area.
, and no one knew that this caravan carrying cigarettes and liquor was actually led by the famous Tang Tuanzuo.
Not to mention, under Tantai Mingyue's careful dressing up, the tall and handsome Tang Dao put on a robe and a top hat, and stood up without a sword. He really looked like the legendary young master's family, which attracted a group of young nurses from the medical company.
There was a lot of sparkle in her eyes. If she hadn't been driven away by Deputy Company Commander Erya, Captain Tantai would probably regret it. She should have dressed her fiancé as a coachman.
But the strength doesn’t allow it! Tang Tuanzuo grinned helplessly.
With a guy like him, he doesn't want to be the boss of his young master, but lets that wretched old guy Shen Laoliu do it. Does anyone believe that?
The caravan traveled another two miles, and there was a simple wooden shed made of pine wood in front of it. There were horses and two fortifications piled with sandbags on the mountain road. There was a simple trench on the hillside behind.
The caravan stopped, and the members of the "convoy" with guns looked for fighting positions to hide. This was the most normal reaction of the caravan, even when facing the army.
After all, who knows whether we will encounter Chinese troops or Japanese troops here.
Two figures walked out of the wooden shed and walked towards this side with guns on their backs. There were also muzzles of guns sticking out of the simple trenches on the hillside.
Tang Dao, who peeked out from under the tarp and glanced into the distance, narrowed his eyes slightly, and the cold rain dripped along the edge of his hat and onto his shoulders.
