Chapter 43: Jiang Xianyun’s Pen and He Zhonghan’s Tongue Were No Match for Chen Geng’s Legs

Chu Yunfei let out a cold snort and strode out of the command headquarters.

Qian Bajun and Zhang Fugui looked at each other in dismay.

"Do you think the Regiment Commander is going to go make trouble for the Chief of Staff over this?"

Zhang Fugui rubbed his nose, massaged it for a moment, and then said with certainty, "Probably not. After all, the Chief of Staff hasn't done anything wrong..."

At this moment, Qian Bajun also looked somewhat helpless: "Military orders are urgent. If the Regiment Commander makes a fuss like this, it might inevitably waste a considerable amount of time. No matter what, the Chief of Staff puts the overall situation above all else..."

.........

The 358th Regiment Command Headquarters.

In front of Fang Ligong lay documents and reports dispatched from the Fourteenth Group Army, the Second War Zone Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters, the Eighth Route Army's 386th Brigade, the 385th Brigade...

On the operational map, dense markings had already been made.

Fang Ligong's map work was exceptionally neat and precise.

At a glance, Chu Yunfei could clearly see the current movements of the friendly forces.

"The 129th Division is actually going to organize two ambush battles in the northern Shanxi region? I remember this place was designated as the guerrilla zone of the 120th Division, wasn't it?"

Fang Ligong was slightly stunned, wearing a skeptical expression.

Guerrilla zone?
The 120th?

When was this ever mentioned... It was true that the overall strategic plan of the Eighth Route Army had been reported to the Second War Zone.

However, when had the 358th Regiment ever been notified of this?
How on earth did the Regiment Commander know about these things?

He pondered for a long time but still could not figure it out.

"Regiment Commander... The main force of the Fourteenth Group Army has already launched an offensive against the Japanese invaders... General Wei judges that the Japanese invaders are very likely to attempt a breakout from our direction..."

Chu Yunfei nodded, and then asked, "When we collected our supplies in Taiyuan City last time, did we receive the full amount?"

Fang Ligong shook his head and replied, "No. In reality, the supplies and materials we received were only half of the allocated amount..."

"Then why wasn't I informed about this?"

Chu Yunfei's brows knitted together, clearly looking somewhat displeased.

Fang Ligong sighed and explained, "Regiment Commander, the military situation was urgent at the time, and bickering with that bunch of damned bureaucrats would have been useless... Besides, I have already reported this matter to Commander Yan."

Chu Yunfei sat down to the side, looking at the map while asking out loud, "How has this matter been handled so far?"

"There is no news yet."

"Ligong, send a telegram to Commander Yan in my name and report this matter once again."

Fang Ligong was somewhat reluctant and persuaded, "Regiment Commander, the monumental Battle of Xinkou is imminent right now. Turning the blade inward abruptly might cause a certain degree of turbulence, and morale is very likely to be affected."

As if he were deaf, Chu Yunfei gave no reaction whatsoever and continued gazing at the operational map before him.

The two divisions of the Fourteenth Group Army were currently on the offensive.

The other various units of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army had basically completed their deployments.

If Chu Yunfei were the one in command,

he would not have done as General Wei Lihuang did—

employing an offensive strategy in the initial stage, engaging in a head-on, main-force collision with the high-morale Japanese invaders.

Instead, he would rely on advantageous terrain and topography, deploying defense in depth to delay and exhaust the Japanese forces.

In short, the initial phase would be about holding firm.

When the Japanese offensive weakened and their supplies were mostly exhausted,

he would then transition to a full-scale counter-offensive to expand the tactical gains.

As one of the "Five Tiger Generals," General Wei

was also one of the few talents under Chiang Kai-shek capable of commanding large-scale army corps operations.

To be fair, his strategy

had many commendable aspects, and even his starting point was good.

However, even the elite Fourteenth Group Army

remained generally at a disadvantage when facing the "modernized" army of the Japanese invaders.

In the history known to Chu Yunfei, General Wei Lihuang's adjustment speed had been very swift.

At least later generations offered very little criticism regarding major strategic errors by General Wei Lihuang on the Xinkou battlefield...

Just as Chu Yunfei was frowning and pondering deeply, Fang Ligong waited for a long time without receiving a reply, let out a soft sigh, and asked, "Regiment Commander... Have you considered this thoroughly?"

Chu Yunfei nodded. "Ligong, you've worked hard!"

Fang Ligong strode toward the cipher room, and Sun Ming, standing nearby, also took half a step forward.

"Regiment Commander... What are you worrying about?"

"Tell me, between the Eighth Route Army's 386th Brigade and the Chahar Army Corps' 1st Independent Mixed Brigade,"

Chu Yunfei put down the operational map and turned to look at Sun Ming behind him, "Whose fighting spirit is stronger?"

"This... though I hate to admit it... those little devils who have fought all the way from outside the Great Wall to inside it are probably stronger..."

Chu Yunfei nodded. "They only completed their regularization and reorganization in the past half year..."

"Division Lin's victory at Pingxingguan displayed the prestige of the Eighth Route Army and let the entire nation witness the combat capabilities of the Eighth Route Army."

Sun Ming spoke somewhat conservatively, "Presumably, General Chen's brigade's combat effectiveness won't be poor either... After all, Commander Chen was already famous throughout the land back when he was at Whampoa..."

"Chiang Xianyun's pen, He Zhonghan's mouth, neither could surpass Chen Geng's legs."

Chu Yunfei wore a look of respect, as if he were recounting a casual everyday matter.

"In that case, let's ask the 386th Brigade to help us fight a delaying action and slow down the advance of the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade!"

"Regiment Commander... Are you intending to—?"

Chu Yunfei nodded. "You guessed correctly. This matter still needs to be reported to Commander Yan..."

.........

The Second War Zone Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters.

Recovering the body of Brigade Commander Jiang, eliminating Japanese Major General Seiichi Shinohara, occupying Yuanping City, and completing the deployment for the delaying defense.

In one day and one night,

Chu Yunfei and the soldiers of the 358th Regiment accomplished one seemingly impossible task after another

in the eyes of these high-ranking commanders.

By the time Old Yan received the telegrams, it was already eight o'clock in the evening.

Liu Tao had delivered three telegrams together.

As the chief of confidential affairs, Liu Tao had naturally read the contents of the telegrams.

The order in which the telegrams were arranged was a matter of great significance.

Toward Chu Yunfei, this rising star, he naturally held high hopes.

And so, he simply arranged them in chronological order.

He could clearly perceive

the emotional fluctuations of Second War Zone Commander-in-Chief Old Yan.

The first telegram was Chu Yunfei reporting on the previous collection of cement and steel reinforcements supplies in the Taiyuan area... hoping he would investigate and punish corruption.

The second telegram was Chu Yunfei requesting Commander Yan to order the 386th Brigade to assist the 358th Regiment in intercepting the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade.

After reading this telegram, Old Yan's emotions showed little change.

Until the third telegram.

Upon seeing that Yuanping City had been recaptured, over a thousand enemies wiped out, Major General and Brigade Commander Seiichi Shinohara killed, and the encirclement completed,

Old Yan actually stood up straight from his stool.

This was the only good news in the past half-month!

How could he not be excited?

Regarding the matter of the bureaucrats inside Taiyuan City... Old Yan knew about it, but he was powerless to deal with it.

The supplies had been allocated by the Nanjing authorities in the first place.

Through layer after layer of peeling and skimming off the top, by the time the supplies reached him, managing to get half of the material

and one-third of the funding was already considered quite good.

Little did they know that even the national defense fortifications along the Niangziguan frontline could hardly be considered even a superficial facade.