Chapter 16: A Strong Nation Wields Military Power as Its Weapon, While a Weak Nation Relies on Resolve as Its Backbone!
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“Commander Yan, the latest report: Ruyue Pass has fallen. Major Li Dashan, commander of the 427th Regiment, has been killed in action. Brigade Commander Liang Jiantang is critically wounded, and his fate is unknown...”
“The Japanese have broken through in the direction of Chu Yunfei’s forces. The main body of the 358th Regiment has already gone to Jiaochang Village to establish defensive positions...”
To stabilize the situation, Old Yan had gone to the forward headquarters west of Yanmen Pass.
Yet no sooner had he arrived at the front to oversee the battle than he received a telegram from the 358th Regiment.
Ruyue Pass had fallen!
Yan Laoxi rose swiftly and turned toward the operational map.
The large-scale battle map before him made it difficult to locate Jiaochang Village at a glance.
An operations officer hurried forward and replaced it with a military map of northern Shanxi.
Jiaochang Village lay directly south of Chu Yunfei’s defensive position.
It was very close—less than five kilometers away.
Behind it, there was only a single passage.
Steep peaks rose on either side.
The slopes were nothing but bare rock, making it impossible even to construct defensive fortifications.
If they were prepared to fight to the death, they could still set an ambush and block the enemy.
But terrain this steep truly offered no escape from death.
Chu Yunfei could not afford to exhaust his men on one hand.
On the other, he could not bear the consequences of taking such a risk.
If the Japanese discovered the ambush force ahead of time,
they would not even need to send troops forward. Artillery fire alone would be enough to inflict massive casualties.
Sun Cuiya took one glance and immediately understood the 358th Regiment’s predicament.
The fall of Fanshi County would expose the flanks and rear of every unit along the Pingxing Pass–Yanmen Pass line.
But the Chahar Corps was still more than a hundred kilometers away from the Fifth Division.
Furthermore, according to the 358th Regiment’s deployment, one battalion of its main force had already gone into Fanshi County to build defensive fortifications.
They could probably buy themselves some time.
The overwhelming majority of the commanders believed that the situation had not yet deteriorated to the point where continued resistance was impossible.
General Fu Zuoyi’s view was the most forceful of all.
He believed they could not only hold the line at Yanmen Pass and Pingxing Pass,
but might even have a chance to annihilate the overextended Suzuki Brigade.
Not only could they break the crisis, they might even recreate the great victory at Ruyue Pass.
The principle that a strong nation wields military power as its weapon, while a weak nation relies upon its resolve as its shield—
Yan Laoxi understood it well.
Yet under the disastrous conditions on the battlefield,
this commander-in-chief of the Second War Zone, who commanded more than two hundred thousand troops,
this uncrowned king of Shanxi—
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had already begun to feel fear.
His finest 358th Regiment, and Chu Yunfei, on whom he had placed such high hopes, had failed to “hold” Ruyue Pass.
How could this battle possibly be fought?
Deep down, Yan Laoxi felt that it was not merely the battle situation that was dangerous.
His own safety was at stake as well!
The Yan Laoxi of that moment had none of the lofty ambition he had displayed before the war to defend the realm and protect the people. The last ember of his courage had been extinguished completely by danger.
In front of everyone, he forced himself to remain calm, asking when the reinforcements could arrive while also inquiring about the Chahar Corps’s precise situation.
“Commander Yan, there are many Mongolians in the Chahar Corps who have a tradition of making an annual pilgrimage to Mount Wutai. They know every road from Fanshi County to Wutai County.”
“Cavalry moves extremely fast. Once they cut off our rear and disrupt our supply lines—”
“Our army could very well be trapped and destroyed along the Pingxing Pass–Yanmen Pass line.”
The speaker was Yan Laoxi’s fellow townsman from Mount Wutai, Yang Aiyuan, commander of the Sixth Army Group.
As one of Yan Laoxi’s trusted confidants, Yang Aiyuan had naturally noticed the panic in his expression.
Thus, he became Yan’s mouthpiece and voiced the very concern that troubled him most.
As expected, no one had a suitable solution.
A gentleman does not stand beneath a wall about to collapse.
Yan Laoxi had already begun contemplating escape.
He had even prepared the words in his mind.
All he needed was for one more person to describe the danger of the battlefield...
Then he would slam his hand on the table and announce a retreat.
“In my view, this situation cannot be salvaged. If we delay our retreat, the army may well be annihilated. We should withdraw the entire force.”
Yet everyone remained silent, their eyes fixed on Yan Laoxi as they waited for his decision.
The disadvantage in northern Shanxi was indeed not yet overwhelming. Yan Laoxi was also worried that ordering a retreat at that moment would severely damage the army’s morale.
War was fought on morale. Once it collapsed, the consequences could become truly irreversible.
Just as Yan Laoxi furrowed his brow in thought,
Liu Tao, director of the confidential communications office, hurried forward.
“Commander Yan, an urgent telegram from the 358th Regiment!”
Yan Laoxi snatched up the telegram. After scanning it, he let out a long breath of relief.
“Gentlemen!”
“Yunfei has annihilated the overextended puppet Mongolian cavalry outside Jiaochang Village in a single stroke. The remnants of the 203rd Brigade have already set out for Fanshi County under Colonel Xu’s command to strengthen its defenses.”
Fu Zuoyi seized the opportunity and spoke again.
“Commander Yan, we must not let this opportunity slip away!”
“Yisheng, we’ll do as you suggest!”
“Strike out boldly and destroy the stubborn enemy!”
“Yes, sir!”
...
That afternoon, friendly air support arrived and destroyed two Japanese observation balloons.
For a brief time, the Japanese artillery was blinded.
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The 27th Division of the puppet Mongolian cavalry had intended to take advantage of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army’s retreat—
to pluck an easy prize and claim a victory.
But the moment they pursued the retreating troops to the outskirts of Jiaochang Village,
concealed fire positions on both sides of the mountain road, as well as within the village, opened fire in unison.
Caught in the sudden barrage from troops who were fully prepared,
the pursuing puppet Mongolian cavalry suffered two or three hundred casualties in an instant.
The survivors wheeled their horses around and fled at full speed.
Thus, the front temporarily stabilized along the Jiaochang Village line.
Under Chu Yunfei’s command, Qian Bojun won yet another victory.
“Commander, a reply from Commander Yan... He wants us to hold for another three days. Reinforcements are already on the way.”
“The Second War Zone Headquarters believes we can destroy part of the Suzuki Brigade’s advance force and recreate the great victory at Ruyue Pass...”
Chu Yunfei’s brows drew together slightly.
The entire 358th Regiment had only one-quarter of its previous ammunition remaining.
Its casualties had already exceeded one-third and were approaching half strength.
Apart from the Third Battalion, which had previously served as the reserve and remained in relatively good condition,
the Second Battalion had suffered more than half its strength in casualties, while the Fourth Battalion had lost three-quarters of its men.
The 358th Regiment of that moment had, in truth, only one main-force battalion capable of directly confronting and encircling the Japanese.
Yet that battalion also had to hold the defensive line. Over the next three days of fighting,
its strength would inevitably be depleted.
Fortunately, judging from the current deployments issued by the headquarters,
the entire Fifth Division itself was at risk of being encircled and annihilated.
The 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army had already reached Lingqiu in a sweeping movement around the enemy, while Chen Changjie’s 61st Army had joined the battle.
In some areas, they had even launched counterattacks.
After half a month of bitter fighting, the Fifth Division had suffered nearly ten thousand casualties.
One of its main infantry regiments had also been transferred elsewhere. The enemy still capable of combat now numbered no more than a few thousand.
Whether the 61st Army managed to break through,
or the forces outside Fanshi County opened a breach,
there was a chance to annihilate the Japanese Suzuki Brigade—or even the entire Fifth Division.
The commanders were naturally thrilled. They had seen hope.
And in that period, in that particular chapter of history, hope was more precious than gold.
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