Chapter 62: Steady Progress and Strategic Planning by Hu and Yu

Inside the headquarters of the Qingyang Independent Brigade, the atmosphere grew tense due to a freshly received reconnaissance telegram.

The intelligence brought back by Zhang Hongtu caught everyone completely off guard: the enemy's First Division was not dividing its forces for a reckless advance as anticipated. Instead, adopting an exceptionally cautious and almost conservative posture, it condensed its entire strength of over ten thousand men into a massive fist, advancing slowly along the main road leading to Qingyang. Its marching formation was rigorous, flank security was tight, and the intervals between units were compact. It was textbook execution of "building solid stockades and fighting a slow, methodical war," leaving the Independent Brigade absolutely no opportunity to split, encircle, or defeat them piecemeal.

"Brigade Commander, Political Commissar," Zhang Hongtu said with a heavy tone, pointing to the enemy's massive formation marked on the map, "the enemy's vanguard is the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade, followed sequentially by the division headquarters, the artillery battalion, the 2nd Brigade, the logistics and baggage train, and finally the 1st Regiment of the 4th Brigade acting as the rearguard. The formation is quite stretched out, but the front and rear mutually support each other, and the security is airtight. Our cavalry squad tried several times to harass and lure them, but the enemy merely drove them away with dense firepower without being moved at all, not even sending out troops in pursuit."

Li Yunlong exploded upon hearing this, "Damn it! That turtle-egg Hu Zongnan has gotten smart, hasn't he? Huddling together like a tortoise, how are we supposed to fight this? The pocket formation we prepared, he isn't walking into it at all!"

Huang Musheng also frowned and said, "The enemy has made up their mind to steamroll forward relying on their absolute superiority in troops and firepower. They've calculated that we wouldn't dare to meet them head-on, hoping to subdue us without fighting or force us to abandon the city and retreat into the mountains."

Wang Guangdao looked at Wang Lin, "Brigade Commander, as the enemy changes, we must change. The enemy has clearly studied our tactics and anticipated the trapping and ambushing methods we might employ. Hu Zongnan's move seems clumsy, but it is actually shrewd. He doesn't care whether he can annihilate us; his primary goal is to securely occupy Qingyang and Huanxian to report back to Chiang Kai-shek. Our original plan to annihilate a portion of the enemy is indeed difficult to execute now."

All eyes converged on Wang Lin. The Central Committee had given the green light to fight, but the enemy had presented the most vexing formation possible.

Just prior to this, in Xianyang, Shaanxi, the Temporary Headquarters of the First Army.

The atmosphere was even more solemn than a few days ago. Although it was already midsummer, a chilling, murderous aura hung over the headquarters due to the impending battle. Hu Zongnan's expression was calm, but his slightly furrowed brows and the unconscious tapping of his fingertips against the table betrayed his inner displeasure and calculation.

First Division Commander Yu Jishi sat lower down, his expression equally grim. He had just reported in detail on the condition of the troops: the officers and men were eager to fight and morale was high, but the recruits were clumsy in tactical movements and poorly coordinated across various arms, especially infantry-artillery cooperation, which was far from smooth and tacit. Many newly supplemented German-equipped arms were still operated awkwardly by the soldiers, and the failure rate was higher than that of battle-hardened veterans.

"I am well aware of the Generalissimo's state of mind. The defeat in eastern Gansu resulted in heavy losses of troops and generals, and the loss of important equipment as well, which truly made the leader lose face," Hu Zongnan finally spoke, his voice steady yet carrying an imperceptible trace of helplessness. "As the crack core and elite vanguard of the Party-State, it is our bounden duty, both publicly and privately, to dispatch troops at this moment to mop up the remaining bandits in eastern Gansu and retrieve our declining fortunes."

Yu Jishi leaned forward slightly. "Your Excellency's discernment is clear. The officers and men of my First Division have long harbored the desire to match forces with the main communist bandit forces. Now, with brand-new equipment and the resolve to avenge past humiliations, morale is soaring. Although there are some minor coordination issues, this subordinate believes that with our absolute advantage in firepower and troop strength, defeating Wang Lin's forces and recapturing Qingyang and Huanxian should pose no great suspense. Only..." He paused, carefully choosing his phrasing, "Only if we pursue complete victory and accomplish everything in a single battle, it may take time for meticulous deployment and the pursuit of a decisive showdown."

Hu Zongnan waved his hand, interrupting him, "Jishi, how could I not know your thoughts? If it were up to my original intention, we should wait until my First Army has completed its training, with all divisions advancing shoulder to shoulder, to clear out eastern Gansu with the momentum of Mount Tai pressing down, and even press straight into the bandit lair in northern Shaanxi—that would be the optimal strategy. However, time waits for no one."

He stood up, walked over to the huge military map, and his gaze landed on the location of Qingyang.

"The Generalissimo's strict orders have been issued, and the eyes of the entire country are upon us. Political necessity far outweighs pure military considerations. We must move, and move quickly, to show our posture and achieve results for the Generalissimo, for Nanjing, and for those regional militarists who sit on the fence and vacillate!"

He turned around, his gaze piercing as he looked at Yu Jishi. "However, how we move is for us to grasp. What the Generalissimo wants is the recovery of Qingyang and Huanxian, the setback of Wang Lin's forces, and the display of the Central Army's might. As for the process, he may not have the patience to scrutinize every detail."

A glimmer flashed in Yu Jishi's eyes. "Your Excellency means..."

Hu Zongnan's finger pointed heavily at Qingyang, then swept toward Huanxian, his tone resolute. "The communist bandit tactics have always been deceitful and ever-changing, particularly skilled in luring the enemy deep, outflanking, and enveloping. Judging by the past combat cases of their regimental commander Wang Lin, this man employs troops with boldness, meticulousness, and craftiness. Ma Hongbin fell victim to this exact approach, advancing blindly with isolated forces, which led to the annihilation of his entire army."

He analyzed with a cold smile, "Now my First Division is pressing down with overwhelming force, and our strength far surpasses theirs. According to logical deduction, Wang Lin's forces have just undergone a fierce battle; although they have gained some provisions through capture and expansion, they must be battle-fatigued, and their newly incorporated elements are unstable. If they are wise, they will never use an egg to strike a stone, engaging our elite First Division in a frontal defense battle of a proper array beneath the city walls of Qingyang and Huanxian."

Yu Jishi nodded thoughtfully, "Your Excellency is brilliant. Their most likely strategy is indeed to proactively abandon the cities and lure us deep into the interior of their so-called 'base area.' They will use the gullied and complex terrain of eastern Gansu to maneuver against us, constantly harassing our supply lines with small detachments to exhaust our army. Once our division's veterans show weaknesses, they will concentrate their forces and seize the opportunity to bite off a piece of us. This is the habitual trick of the communist bandits."

"Precisely so!" Hu Zongnan nodded, a look of absolute confidence appearing on his face. "They rely on their mass base and familiar terrain, hoping to practice the principle of 'preserving people while losing land, preserving both people and land if possible.' If I truly launch a massive pursuit, I will fall right into their trap. Our army has many recruits, is unfamiliar with the terrain, will face supply difficulties deep in the mountains, and can easily be led by the nose—potentially even repeating Ma Hongbin's tragic path."

He walked back to the desk, pressed his hands on it, and made his decision. "In that case, we shall do the exact opposite. If he is unwilling to hold the cities, I will occupy the cities! If he is unwilling to fight a decisive frontal battle, I will not give him the opportunity to do so!"

"Order!" Hu Zongnan's voice became decisive and unyielding. "After your division sets out, there is no need to rush in pursuit of a decisive battle with the main bandit force. Adopt the strategy of 'advancing camp by camp, fighting a steady and solid battle'! Advance steadily using regiments as units for alternate cover. Should small groups of bandits harass us, disperse them with fierce firepower without deep pursuit. The primary objective is to occupy the two empty cities of Qingyang and Huanxian!"

A trace of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. "If Wang Lin withdraws proactively just as I anticipate, then our army can recover lost territory without shedding blood and report back to our superiors. At that time, reporting that 'Qingyang and Huanxian have been recaptured, and the bandit forces fled at the wind' will also count as an achievement. The Generalissimo will save face, our army's actual strength will remain undamaged, and we can just take advantage of garrisoning to continue training, coordinating, and consolidating city defenses. Once our division has completely finished training and the autumn is high and horses are fat, using Qingyang and Huanxian as bases to sweep the surrounding areas—wouldn't that be even more secure?"

Yu Jishi fully understood Hu Zongnan's intention—this was an "armed parade" primarily aimed at meeting political benchmarks while strictly avoiding military risks. He immediately stood up and saluted sharply, "This subordinate understands! Our army's goal is to occupy cities, not to annihilate the enemy. Holding the cities is victory. We will never covet glory and advance recklessly to give the communist bandits any exploitable loophole!"

"Very good!" Hu Zongnan nodded with satisfaction. "Remember, after occupying the cities, immediately reinforce the city defenses, dredge traffic routes, and ensure unobstructed supply lines. Dispatch more scouts, spread a wide net of eyes, and simply figure out the bandit movements. As long as the bandits do not proactively attack the cities, our army will not proactively sally forth for the time being. Everything shall await subsequent orders and the completion of the army's overall training."

"Yes! This subordinate strictly obeys Your Excellency's command! We will surely recover Qing and Huan with minimum cost, and hold our ground while awaiting further instructions!" Yu Jishi shouted in acknowledgment.

Hu Zongnan walked over to the window, gazed at the soldiers undergoing intense training on the drill ground outside, and slowly said, "Go. Let Wang Lin and his Independent Brigade continue wandering in the loess ravines. As for us, capturing those two empty cities alone means we have won this game."