Chapter 17

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  Ma Zhongying in western China also learned about the political corruption in Xinjiang. Ma had a premonition that he and his cavalrymen had a mission to fulfill in Xinjiang.

  The Badain Jaran Desert extends westward along the Hexi Corridor all the way to Central Asia. Riders would occasionally enter and exit the desert, and once they entered the prosperous Hexi Corridor, no one wanted to go back into the desert again. Although they knew that the snowy mountains and deserts were the cradle of riders, once they lost their horses and sabers, it was difficult for them to recover.

  Those days, Ma Zhongying was worried and anxious, he hoped that the National Army would come to attack, so that they could motivate their subordinates to open up Xinjiang, they couldn't overcome comfort and leisure.

  That year, the west of the Thousand Mile River was calm and peaceful, so quiet that it made one suspicious. There was no sign of war, no yellow drums or broken tiles, no thunderous sounds of chaos. Instead, there was a hint of a utopian paradise. The galloping horsemen seemed out of place here, the villagers tilled their fields and held markets, showing no interest in the army. Even the horsemen felt like they were unnecessary. They shouted: "Didn't you have a war here last year? Didn't the blood flow like rivers in Yongchang, Minqin, and Wuwei?" The villagers replied: "That was a long time ago, the National Army has left." The horsemen looked lost, it had only been half a year since the war ended, but people had already forgotten. The villagers said: "Ordinary people live their lives, thinking about tomorrow after today, and thinking about the day after tomorrow when tomorrow comes. No one thinks about what happened before."

  The riders were terrified, they found something sharper and harder than the war knife - time. The riders said: "We left Hezhou for almost a year, the Hezhou Xiangdang has long forgotten us."

  It was a season of unparalleled cruelty, the tranquil wilderness relaxed the riders' muscles and bones, and the silent years of the river swallowed up the riders' minds. The riders cried out: "The western suburbs have forgotten us, we cannot let the eastern suburbs forget us." Ma Zhongying said, "Hezhou has long been prepared, we can't go back."

  "Go to Ningxia, Ningxia is a Muslim nest, go to Ningxia, we won't be lonely ghosts."

  The army is becoming more and more like a bandit gang. What will it be like to bring such an army to Ningxia? The commander ordered them to train first before anything else. Everyone thought they were going to practice military drills, but the bugle sounded again, and it was another march into the Badain Jaran Desert. The commander led the way, and who dared not follow? The gray horse knew its master's mind and led the army in circles through the desert, bypassing all the places with springs. At first, some people fell down, and the sun beat down like a raging fire, white flames that quickly turned into pure white, a sheet of flashing white that stretched out from the sky like a tongue to lick the dew on the sand. Someone shouted, and the commander rode up and gave them a lash, "What are you shouting about? You can't even get through the desert, do you think you can go to Ningxia?" More and more people fell down, even the horses collapsed, and the flames of life rose from their bodies and merged into the sun. After death and hardship, people's eyes became more ferocious and cruel. There were too many green forest heroes in the team, these people are hard to change their bandit nature. If they continued like this, the sun and desert would devour them all. The sun had driven everyone mad.

  Unable to attack Ningxia directly, the army took a detour through Alxa League in Inner Mongolia and entered Ningxia via Helan Mountains. This military campaign was carried out stealthily, with no one believing that a large army could emerge from the desert. Commander-in-chief sent people to infiltrate Yinchuan to gather intelligence beforehand. The provincial capital's garrison had gone out for training and not returned, leaving only one regiment defending Yinchuan. Provincial Chairman Ma Zhiyuan was a ***, who only knew how to make money and did not care about government affairs, making it the perfect opportunity to attack.

  The army arrived in Yinchuan, and Yinchuan was immediately captured. Provincial Chairman Men Zhizhong led a battalion with pistols to break through the south gate of Yinchuan, but General Wang Hengzhi died in battle. The cavalrymen triumphantly raised their flags and galloped forward, amidst cheers and jubilation. Wang Hengzhi was a deputy general, while Commander-in-Chief Men Zhizhong had fled. Garrison Commander Gao was not pleased with the turn of events. What made him even more heartbroken was that after the army entered the city, banditry broke out again, with killings and lootings continuing unabated. Yinchuan fell suddenly, and most government officials did not escape, hiding in civilian homes, only to be discovered and killed on the spot.

  Yinchuan was the provincial capital, and when it fell, Northwest China was shaken. Liu Yufen again appointed Ji Hongchang, ordering him to lead his troops in a punitive expedition.

  Two months later, Ji Hongchang's troops came from Lanzhou to kill, the cavalrymen fought to the death, several division commanders died in battle, and the cavalrymen retreated from Yinchuan to Shizuishan.

  In early May, the commander led the troops to besiege Ningxia for the second time. Ji Hongchang's troops rushed out of the four gates and clashed with the commander. Ma Yi, the division commander who had rebelled together with the commander, was killed on the spot. The cavalry suffered heavy casualties and retreated in disarray. Ji Hongchang searched for Ma Zhongying's body on the battlefield with his dagger team. Someone brought over Ma Yi, who looked very similar to Ma Zhongying. Ji Hongchang stood beside the corpse for a long time and said, "Dying at my hands is your son's luck."

  The riders entered the desert to shake off their pursuers, but soon found that the desert was not as vast as they had imagined. An experienced rider said, "It's because we're too impatient; even the sky would seem small if we rush through it."

  The riders galloped for five days and nights in the desert, and at the end of the desert appeared endless plains. The plains were flat and quiet. The riders ran to a paradise on earth again. Here are all Mongolians, it turned out that they arrived at the Hetao Plain.

  The Mongols said: Winter is coming, you will all freeze to death. The riders fired their guns and shouted wildly, the vast wilderness was endless, all grayish-yellow withered grass. The riders were extremely disheartened, firing their guns into the sky and into the ground, after finishing they dispersed.

  The remaining 700+ riders were brought out from Hezhou, they originally had more than 10,000 people.

  The wilderness suddenly harvested several tens of thousands of ripe heads, the war knife inserted in the sandy soil like a mature wheat ear, curved and drooping down. No one can understand that the golden sand will grow golden millet. Sunshine and water alone are not enough; it also needs the blood of sons to reveal the pure and simple beauty of the mud. Long ago, Master Su taught us the secret of the grain: the essence of the sun and moon and the spirit of the mountains and rivers are hidden in the grain, and the grain nourishes us entirely for the sake of the blood flowing through our bodies, because blood is the natural extension of heaven and earth; the true master poured his soul into the human body to keep the purity of heaven and earth. Having only grain is not enough; the earth must have a true realm garden, and the roses in the garden are the blood of sons. Not all men can become sons; some men fall, some men pollute their souls and lose the purity of blood.

  Life is like sand, blown by the wind, flowing, and they become aware of their magnificence, so the wilderness becomes the ocean.

  That winter, the riders walked out of the Badain Jaran Desert and didn't want to move anymore. Everyone was uninterested in Xinjiang, which was more desolate than Gansu.

  "The world's largest desert is there, and the ocean is right there."

  The riders were too tired; they could hardly imagine an ocean of life in the desert. They were too tired, and their pupils began to dim.

  They were like a pack of old wolves, crouching on the big lawn behind the house, licking their wounds while staring at Yinchuan. The rich Ningxia was too tempting for them, and they would pounce as soon as there was any movement in the wind.

  After Ji Hongchang entered Yinchuan, he had a conflict with Provincial Chairman Men Zhizhong. Ji Hongchang believed that Ningxia was rich in resources and should be developed according to plan, and it was not possible to simply impose taxes on the local people, increasing their burden. Men Zhizhong's thinking was conservative, doing everything according to old rules, and he was busy arranging the marriage of his second daughter with a grandson of the former Qing dynasty's Duke of Duan.

  Ji Hongchang bluntly ridiculed Men Zhizhong, who usually only knew how to make money and was negligent in defense during wartime, causing the city to be lost and the people to suffer. What face did he have left to meet the elders of Ningxia again? Men Zhizhong angrily resigned and went to report to Feng Yuxiang.

  Liu Yufen had no choice but to let Ji Hongchang act as chairman of Ningxia, and Feng Yuxiang tacitly approved after learning about it.

  Ma Zhongying and his brothers stayed in Beiping for several years without any prospects, then went to Shandong.

  Ma Hongbin's troops were stationed in Jining, Shandong Province. There were many of Ma Zhongying's old subordinates in the army. The cavalrymen saw their leader and asked about the war situation in their hometown of Hezhou. Ma Zhongying told them: "The National Army squeezed us out of Hezhou, and the National Army also left the northwest. Gansu has become Ma Bufang's territory." These cavalrymen were all those who had been incorporated into Ma Hongbin after failing to capture Hezhou. Ma Zhongying asked Ma Hongbin, "Aren't you afraid that I will cause trouble?" Ma Hongbin said, "We are brothers of the same clan and family, let's not speak of two households."

  Ma Hongkui introduced Ma Zhongying to the officers and soldiers of the 15th Route Army, tens of thousands of officers and soldiers drew their swords in salute to him, Ma Zhongying was deeply moved.

  Ma Hongkui said: "Feng Yuxiang has fallen out with Commander-in-Chief Chiang, Nanjing attaches great importance to you, and the Commander-in-Chief has repeatedly asked me to see you. Hurry up and go to Nanjing, this is a good opportunity."

  The old Western army general Ma Fuxiang was also in Nanjing, and Ma Fuxiang accompanied Ma Zhongying and Ma Zhongjie to visit Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek looked them up and down for half a day and said: "Indeed young heroes, I'm delighted to see you brothers." Chiang Kai-shek asked their age, Ma Zhongying was 19 years old, and Ma Zhongjie was 17 years old. Chiang Kai-shek told the Huangpu generals who accompanied him at dinner: "These brothers are better than you. At a young age, they led tens of thousands of men and horses to gallop in the great northwest, and several tiger generals under Feng Yuxiang were defeated by these brothers. It's not simple. The central government will soon solve the northwest problem. The northwest army has its own way of governing the army and training soldiers, and it is good at fighting hard battles. Everyone has a phobia about the northwest army, you can have a good talk with Ma Zhongying."

  Ma Zhongying recounted the events of the Hehuang Incident, and the Huangpu generals initially listened calmly. However, as they heard more, they couldn't help but gasp in shock. After Ma Zhongying and his brother left, He Yingqin said, "It's better not to mention it; talking about it only adds to the terrifying atmosphere."

  Liu Zhen said: "Yan Xishan is good at fighting, Feng Yuxiang is good at grasping hands." Chiang Kai-shek said: "Ma Zhongying and Ma Zhongjie are people we need to cultivate well. The Central needs such talents. Jingzi, you arrange for them to directly become regimental commanders."

  He Yingqin said "Alright, alright, I'll go and do it right away." Chen Cheng said: "The old man is really out of his mind. Jing likes soldiers without beards, Ma Zhongying has the bravery of Ma Chao, can he really make it happen? Who do you think he's going to find?"

  Everyone says that Jing Zhi went to the Central Military Academy to handle the enrollment procedures for Ma Zhongying's brothers. Chen Cheng said, "You are wrong, he went to see Ma Fuxiang." The crowd was astonished, and Chen Cheng said, "Ma Fuxiang will not tolerate Ma Zhongying's brothers becoming a threat to his own sons and nephews in the Central Army. Ma Fuxiang will ruin this matter." Everyone said, "The old man won't be deceived."

  Chen Cheng said: "Ma Fuxiang has five northwest horses behind him. The old man will not offend Ma Zhongying for the sake of Ma Wu and Xiao Wuma."

  Everyone said: "Why does Jingzi do this?" Chen Cheng said: "I told you, Jingzi doesn't like soldiers with long beards." Everyone made strange noises, "Eunuchs don't have beards." Chen Cheng said: "Jingzi doesn't have a beard either."

  He Yingqin found Ma Fuxiang to make a fuss, Ma Fuxiang was in a hurry, on the one hand, he telegraphed Northwest Ma Bufang, and on the other hand, he looked for Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek knew the ins and outs of the matter, glanced at He Yingqin, and readily agreed to Ma Fuxiang's request. The matter of Ma Zhongying brothers going to military school was cancelled, and they were reassigned to return to Ma Hongkui's troops.

  When Ma Zhongying and his brother left Nanjing, Chiang Kai-shek gave them the Zhongzheng sword, saying: "Although you two brothers are not graduates of Huangpu, I treat you as Huangpu students. I hope that after returning to the northwest, you will take care of your old troops and work for the central government, and arrange for you according to the situation."

  Ma Zhongying and his brothers returned to Ma Hongkui's troops.

  The Northern Expedition overthrew the Beiyang warlords, and the contradictions between the new warlords intensified. Chiang Kai-shek, backed by Britain, America, and the powerful Jiangsu-Zhejiang financial group, defeated Tang Shengzhi of Hunan and Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi of Guangxi, marched into Henan, and directly threatened Yan Xishan in Shanxi and Feng Yuxiang in the northwest. Yan and Feng joined forces to fight against Chiang. This was the largest warlord melee in Republican history - the Central Plains War. In 1930, a million-strong army gathered along the Longhai Railway.

  The strongest combat force, Feng Yuxiang's troops, had been stationed in the impoverished northwest for a long time and were severely short of funds. Feng Yuxiang was very strict in his military discipline, and even high-ranking generals were very frugal. When interacting with various warlords, high-ranking generals seemed too rustic and found it difficult to resist material temptation. Han Fuju and Shi Yousan were the first to surrender to Chiang Kai-shek. The Northwestern Army had many internal contradictions, and the most courageous general, Ji Hongchang, was actually deprived of his military power by a conspiracy of other generals and imprisoned. Feng Yuxiang only rescued Ji Hongchang after rushing back from Taiyuan, Shanxi, and first arranged for him to serve as deputy officer. To appease the anger of the other generals, Ji Hongchang was demoted from army commander to division commander and led the most elite 11th Division into battle.

  The Shaanxi Army originally belonged to the Northwestern Army, and Yang Hucheng guarded Xi'an for eight months before welcoming Feng Yuxiang. After Feng Yuxiang entered Xi'an, he transferred Yang Hucheng to San Yuan to enjoy the northwest wind, seized the golden bell on the Bell Tower as his own, and lured and killed Shaanxi Army General Guo Jian. The Shaanxi Army took this opportunity to attack Feng Yuxiang. Ma Hongkui was reorganized by Chiang Kai-shek into the 15th Route Army and stationed in the area of Shandong and Changde.

  On the eve of the war, all officers and soldiers of the 15th Route Army believed that Ma Zhongying would be their vanguard commander-in-chief, and they could follow him to ride across the battlefield like real cavalrymen. Ma Zhongying was too famous in the northwest wilderness, and it was an honor to fight under his command. At the military meeting, Ma Hongbin announced that Ma Zhongying would serve as the chief advisor of the 15th Route Army, and a murmur erupted from the crowd. Everyone only learned to chirp like sparrows, and the Ma family army was strict and stern, with everyone absolutely obeying the orders of their superiors.

  On the Longhai Railway, Ma Zhongying rode a big grey horse. The vast plain stretched out endlessly. The Northwestern Army officers and soldiers recognized the big grey horse and its rider, Ma Zhongying. They had fought battles with him in Heshui, Ningxia, and Qinghai. They fired their guns into the sky, and Ma Zhongying drew his sword to salute them.

  The big grey horse galloped across the railway, running freely in the open space between the two armies' trenches. The Longhai Railway was already impassable, and the steel rails shone with a blue light in the sunlight. Wherever the big grey horse and its rider went, they won a burst of cheers from the Northwestern Army officers and soldiers.

  The Central Army was puzzled and called Ma Hongkui to ask: "Has Ma Zhongying surrendered to the Northwest Army, and did the Northwest Army salute him with gunfire?" Ma Hongkui said: "Ma Zhongying has fought against them before, they know each other."

  Ma Zhongying returned, Ma Hongkui said: "The Central Army is very angry with you. They originally thought that you had defeated the Northwestern Army, and your appearance could dampen the morale of the Northwestern Army. Unexpectedly, it instead stirred up the Northwestern Army's combat spirit. These Central Army soldiers are well-fed, well-dressed, and well-equipped, but they have small hearts. I think this battle will be very troublesome to fight. You go to Ma Quanliang's division to help him out, you can command a division without any problem."

  Ma Zhongying left headquarters and went to Ma Quanliang's place. Ma Quanliang said, "You used to lead tens of thousands of men and horses, I only have more than 4,000 people here, I thought you wouldn't come to me."

  "I've never fought such a big battle before, let me see what it's like."

  After the war began, the Northwestern Army retreated 800 miles. Chiang's army pressed on step by step. Chen Cheng's main force of Chiang's army crossed the trenches and launched a deep attack, but was intercepted by Ji Hongchang's unit of the Northwestern Army. After three days and nights of bloody fighting, Chen Cheng's troops were surrounded several times and suffered heavy casualties. Only because Chen's unit had excellent equipment and extremely fierce machine gun firepower did they manage to break through and retreat. Ji Hongchang pursued them relentlessly, and Chen Cheng retreated step by step, being forced into a desperate situation. At this moment, a tall horse appeared, carrying an iron tower-like strong man with his upper body bare, a gleaming ghost head knife held across his chest, galloping forward at the forefront. "Ji Hongchang! Ji Hongchang!"

  "Big Sword Squad! Big Sword Squad!" The Chiang army shouted loudly and frantically, their formation in disarray. In October 1929, Feng Yuxiang rebelled against Chiang for the first time. The Chiang army had experienced the ferocity of Ji Hongchang's Big Sword Squad before, but this time they were facing not Chen Cheng's troops, but Tang Enbo's troops. As soon as the Tongguan city gate opened, Ji Hongchang led his Big Sword Squad of over 2,000 men in a whirlwind charge, while the Chiang army, confident in their superior weaponry, laughed at Feng Yuxiang for being old-fashioned, thinking that this was the era of 20th-century airplanes, cannons, and machine guns, not the time for cold weapons like in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

  The Nationalist officers and soldiers were patient, preparing for close combat. By the time they saw the ferocious appearance of the Big Sword Troop, it was too late. The effect of cold weapons in close combat was much stronger than firearms. The terrifying psychology spread quickly. Chen Cheng was different, Chen Cheng's 18th Army was the ace among Chiang's trump cards. When Ji Hongchang came up, he didn't use big knives at first, and the guns and cannons were lined up against each other. The Nationalist army's firepower was extremely fierce, with all German equipment, and Ji Hongchang's troops were surrounded several times, but they couldn't withstand the dense automatic fire.

  At this time, Ma Zhongying used binoculars to see clearly that the dense firepower reminded him of his defeat outside Hezhou City. Ji Hongchang had used such a dense firepower against Ma Zhongying back then, and now Ji Hongchang was also being trapped by the firepower. The Nationalist Army's firepower opened Ma Zhongying's eyes wide, this is what modern automatic firearms are all about! Such good equipment still allowed Ji Hongchang to retreat hundreds of miles and be forced into a dead end. Ma Zhongying rushed into the command center and asked Ma Quanliang for a troop, "Ji Hongchang has arrived, I'm going to take care of him!" Ma Quanliang was also very excited, repeatedly saying good, good, good. The chief of staff squeezed his eyes, but Ma Quanliang didn't notice, the chief of staff simply called Ma Quanliang out and had already dialed the headquarters' phone number. The chief of staff said: "Commander, you'd better ask for instructions from General Ma." Ma Quanliang could only ask for instructions from Ma Hongkui, who scolded him fiercely after a pause, "You still think Ma Zhongying's reputation is not big enough? Let him show off on the Central Plains and make him famous worldwide?! You watch him! If something goes wrong, I'll fire you!" Ma Quanliang walked over with a sullen face, but was ultimately an honest person, speaking hesitantly. Ma Zhongying just smiled, "Don't worry about it, don't worry about it, forget it."

  Ma Zhongying put down the binoculars and went out, his eyes were red. "You son of a bitch, you made me shed tears so easily!" Ma Zhongying picked up the binoculars again to watch Ji Hongchang show off. Not looking at him wouldn't make him angry, but taking one look would fill him with rage. Ji Hongchang, are you even human? You fought against me for a year and never took off your shirt, but when fighting the Central Army, you take off your clothes and show off that body of yours!

  Play big doll: Northwestern dialect, show off one's prowess, flaunt heroism.

  More than two thousand bare-chested big knife team charged up, the blade of the knife shining with cold light. The sun hid in the deep clouds, and under the round sky, there were only shadows of war knives everywhere. The Chiang army was hacked to pieces, lying all over the place. Their hands and feet had been cut off, some had their abdomen and back sliced open by the blade, exposing their spine and internal organs. A gust of cool wind blew into their bodies, and the fire of life suddenly dimmed. They did not die immediately, but were struck by pain, twisting their bodies in agony. When they used their fingers to dig into the ground, their fingernails cracked completely. When they hugged the tree roots and gnawed at them with their teeth until the bark was gone, their teeth and tongues had all rotted away. They themselves were covered in scars, their flesh blurred with blood, death came slowly, until their faces lost their human appearance, becoming ferocious and terrifying, only then did death claim them.

  Chen Cheng fled in disarray, bringing several guards with him. The Chiang army was shaken along the entire front line, and Ji Hongchang advanced like a raging wind, unstoppable wherever he went. The Northwestern Wolf Troops charged into the enemy's ranks like wolves among sheep, while the Central Army howled and wailed as they retreated from Luoyang to Zhengzhou, and then from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng.

  Chiang Kai-shek was trapped in Kaifeng City, and the Central Army outside the city was defeated by Ji Hongchang. Another main force of Chiang's army, Hu Zongnan and Guan Xianzhen, fought hard to rescue him, covering Chiang's retreat to Shangqiu Liuhe Train Station. Just as they boarded the train, Ji Hongchang arrived, and Chiang's soldiers were terrified at the sight of his gleaming knife. They waited to be slaughtered. Chiang Kai-shek almost got captured, but he remained calm and composed. He looked out and saw that the Northwestern Army was approaching like wolves and tigers. Running away would have been useless, as their cavalry was fast as the wind. Chiang returned to the train car, which was empty and dark. He sat alone in contemplation, while his own troops were being slaughtered outside. The Northwestern Army's cavalry used their knives to knock on the train window, shouting "Chiang Kai-shek, come out!" But Chiang remained unafraid. One of the cavalrymen even stuck his head into the car, but no one noticed an old man sitting in the corner. "Chiang Kai-shek has escaped! Brothers, let's chase him!" The cavalry rushed out of the station, and Chiang narrowly escaped danger. Chiang's army suffered a severe blow and developed a deep fear of the Northwestern Army. Their morale was low, and they dared not launch an attack. Chiang Kai-shek severely scolded Gu Zhutong and Chen Cheng: "Is this the spirit of our revolutionary army?" He was furious and cursed them, saying that the Central Army could not even defeat a motley crew.

  Chen Bulei said: "Guanxi has produced brave generals since ancient times. During the Warring States period, the six states' million-strong army attacked Qin, and the Qin people opened the gates to delay the enemy, and the six states' army hesitated and did not dare to advance." The old man was about to scold his mother, Chen Bulei said: "During the Chu-Han contention, Xiang Yu pursued Liu Bang, who had nowhere to hide, but in the end, Liu Bang obtained the world. A great man competes with wisdom, not bravery." Chiang Kai-shek suddenly enlightened, and immediately sent someone to Northeast China to pull Zhang Xueliang, appointing Zhang Xueliang as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Army and Air Force, and controlling North China. Chen Bulei said this was Liu Bang's method of recruiting Han Xin. Chiang Kai-shek also sent someone to withdraw cash from the Central Bank to buy off high-ranking generals of the Northwestern Army, Chen Bulei said this was Liu Bang's method of recruiting Chen Ping and Peng Yue.

  When the Central Army suffered a defeat, Ma Hongkui and Yang Hucheng's troops held their ground and counterattacked in a flanking movement, making the Northwestern Army feel threatened on its sides at all times.

  Ma Zhongying's Ma Quanliang brigade crossed the Longhai line into Anhui, which is the triangular area of the Longhai and Tianjin-Pukou lines.

  Ma Zhongying suggested that the troops stop advancing to observe the changes. Ma Quanliang said, "There are four Central Army divisions here, and the Northwestern Army can't move them." Ma Zhongying said, "The triangular area is a dead angle, and the Northwestern Army has strong field combat capabilities, which can completely devour these several divisions." Ma Quanliang was hesitant, and Ma Zhongying said, "In the Hehuang Battle, our Black Tiger Division relied on the Gobi Desert to absorb the enemy's attack, and rarely fought head-on with the Northwestern Army. To be honest, the Northwestern Army is a hard bone, and it won't be easy for Commander-in-Chief Chiang to gnaw at it."

  Ma Zhongying was the chief advisor sent by the headquarters, without actual command power. The vanguard troops entered Bo County and merged with Chiang's main force. Chiang Kai-shek again assembled a large number of elite troops on the Longhai Line to launch a counterattack against the Northwestern Army. Five main force divisions from the Central Government, along with local troops, launched a fierce attack on the Northwestern Army. Chiang Kai-shek rode an armored train along the railway line to direct the battle. The Nationalist army learned from past lessons and was highly vigilant in defending against Ji Hongchang's Big Sword Troop. The Northwestern Army, led by Gao Shuyun, Sun Liangcheng, and Tong Lin'ge, launched a three-pronged counterattack. Zheng Dachang's cavalry regiment swept across the Central Army's flank like a whirlwind, while Ji Hongchang's troops broke through the front line. The Central Army suddenly lost three main force divisions, and its command center was scattered in all directions.

  Chiang's army quickly withdrew its troops and switched from offense to defense. This time, the Big Knife Squad appeared again, not during the day, but at night, each with a rifle and a ghost-headed knife, wearing white headscarves and red shirts, with their right arms exposed, sneaking into Chiang's camp before dawn, killing loudly, Chiang's army was in a state of panic, dropping their weapons and fleeing for their lives, the Big Knife Squad attacked from all sides, pursuing them for dozens of miles.

  The battlefield was littered with heads sliced off by the big blade, like smashed watermelons. More than 5,000 officers and soldiers were beheaded, and more than 20,000 officers and soldiers were maimed.

  Ma Quanliang's troops were defeated on the flank and lost a regiment in one battle with Ji Hongchang, immediately retreating to avoid total annihilation. Chiang Kai-shek ordered his troops to hastily retreat south, deeply entrenched, allowing the Northwestern Army to insult them at will, refusing to engage in battle. Ma Zhongying said: "The Central Army is really useless, such good guns and artillery, if half of it were given to our Ma family army, we could defeat the Northwestern Army." Ma Quanliang said: "This battle was lost."

  After holding on for a month, the war situation took a wonderful turn. Headquarters suddenly announced: Zhang Xueliang is supporting the Central Government. Two hundred thousand Northeastern Army troops entered Northern China, and the Central Plains War ended in victory. Ma Zhongying exclaimed, "Isn't this a joke? Winning like this? Can this be considered a victory?" Ma Quanliang smiled, "This is politics, understand? Commander-in-Chief Chiang has pulled out the roots of the enemy's strength, can the Northwestern Army endure it?" Ma Zhongying opened his mouth like a frog, unable to speak. Ma Quanliang said, "The clean and beautiful victories of the Northwestern Army can be recorded in military history, but only Commander-in-Chief Chiang is the one who can plan for the world." Ma Zhongying said, "This kind of planning for the world is useless." "Those who can plan for the world are not only useful, but also big shots." Ma Zhongying said, "I don't understand, I don't understand." Ma Quanliang said, "You are a true gentleman, you don't smoke, drink, or womanize. Think about it, how many of those who sit on the throne are true gentlemen?" Ma Zhongying said, "Commander-in-Chief Chiang doesn't even drink tea."

  Big shot: Northwestern dialect, big boss.

  "But he's good at playing with women, Chiang Kai-shek is really skilled at it. Women call this happiness, and they all like to let him play. If you can't play with women, you can be a hero, but you'll never make a good emperor."

  The Central Plains War ended, and Ma Zhongying returned to the headquarters of the 15th Route Army. Ma Hongkui asked him how he felt, and he said: "The Central Plains War is like the Hezhou Incident, where the winner gains nothing, and Feng Yuxiang and I are evenly matched."

  "The Central Plains have won, but the rivers and mountains are still under Chiang's command. What's the point of winning if there's nothing to gain?"

  "The Central Army has been defeated time and again, but suddenly they won. Is this what you call fighting a war? It's simply ridiculous!"

  The staff at the headquarters all laughed, "The Northwestern Army can fight, but they are rebels. The central government's power is in Chiang Kai-shek's hands, and he can appoint officials and spend money. With these two things, no matter how many victories the Northwestern Army wins, it's all zero. This is called politics." The staff member who spoke was named Zhang Yashao, and another one was named Wu Yingji. Ma Hongbin said: "They are all ** personnel, very talented." Ma Zhongying said: "They are all wanted by the government, aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?" Ma Hongbin said: "The local troops are all hiding ** personnel. These people are rare talents, they can handle various complex situations. Chiang Kai-shek is like Feng Yuxiang, always thinking of ways to dissolve our Ma family army. The more friends the better, the more roads the better, you talk to them more."

  Ma Zhongying had a deep impression of Huang Zhengqing's introduction in Xiahe, Gannan. Ma Zhongying was familiar with Wu Yingqi and Zhang Yashao's rebellion against Feng Yuxiang in the Hehuang region. Wu Yingqi graduated from Kiev Military School in the Soviet Union, while Zhang Yashao graduated from Whampoa Military Academy's 6th class. After their participation in the Wei-Hua Uprising failed, they lost contact with the party organization and joined Ma Hongkui's troops.

  While taking a bath, Ma Zhongying discovered that they were both covered in scars. Ma Zhongying said: "You guys risk your lives for the sake of your organization?" "For the ordinary people. Didn't you, Commander, rebel against Feng Yuxiang for the sake of the ordinary people back then?" "Not entirely, I wanted to break free from the control of the Ma brothers and create my own empire. At that time, the National Army was extorting and bullying the people, so I took advantage of the situation to start a rebellion. At first, the ordinary people supported me, we had more men and guns, but the quality of the government troops was too poor, they often harassed the civilians, so the ordinary people stopped supporting us."

  Wei-Hua Uprising: An armed uprising by the underground Communist Party organization in Shaanxi after the failure of the Great Revolution, with the remaining forces retreating to northern Shaanxi.

  What really moved Ma Zhongying was Wu Yuzhang's analysis of Chiang Kai-shek. Ma asked Wu why the Northwestern Army was so arrogant and didn't put Chiang in their eyes? Wu told him that at first, Feng Yuxiang valued Chiang highly, they became sworn brothers, Chiang purged the party, Feng followed his brother to purge the party, and then went on to the Northern Expedition. When the Northern Expeditionary Army arrived in Jinan, Shandong, the Japanese army wanted to test Chiang's strength, several thousand Japanese troops provoked the Central Army of tens of thousands, Chiang yielded, the Northwestern Army wanted to fight, but Chiang didn't allow them to go to Jiaodong, Chiang sent a diplomatic envoy to negotiate, the Japanese soldiers cut off the nose and ears of the National Government's diplomatic envoy, nailed him alive on the wall, and attacked the Central Army, which collapsed at the slightest touch, with thousands dead or injured. This was the May 3rd Massacre. The Northwestern Army had always considered Japan a hypothetical enemy, and had once engaged in a cannon battle with Japanese troops at Dagukou, the Central Army's actions in Jinan greatly disappointed the Northwestern Army. Ma shouted: "How can Commander-in-Chief Chiang be like this?"

  Wu Yingqi said: "Chiang is a clever person, skilled in the art of politics, and no warlord can be his match. However, someone who is well-versed in politics can only be a politician, not a great national leader. He lacks grand vision and boldness, and does not have the charisma to control this great era. How can he show weakness in the face of powerful enemies? Not to mention Feng Yuxiang, even ordinary people will look down on him."

  Ma Zhongying himself had a good style, could eat bitterness, loved to study, and had no bad habits. The 15th Route Army stationed in Shandong's Jining, where the culture was quite developed, Ma Zhongying made friends on one hand and read a lot of books on the other. Looking back at the mistakes of the Hezhou Campaign, he couldn't help but sigh repeatedly. Wu Yingqi said: "Your experience back then was like that of Spartacus in ancient Rome." Wu Yingqi said: "Spartacus led his gladiators to fight against the Roman army, and many Roman legions were defeated. Spartacus rose rapidly and became incredibly powerful and awe-inspiring; but he had a clear understanding of the situation, knowing that he couldn't overthrow the Roman rule yet, so he began to lead his troops towards the Alps. He thought that everyone should cross the mountains and return to their respective hometowns, with some going back to Thracia and others to Gaul. However, his subordinates were blindly confident in their numbers and disobeyed his orders, continuing to harass and plunder various places in Italy. The arrogant and reckless Germans who had broken away from Spartacus' main force were annihilated by the Roman army. The Roman legions surrounded Spartacus on a peninsula, but Spartacus counterattacked and defeated the Romans. However, this victory spelled doom for Spartacus, as his subordinates became filled with arrogant self-confidence and no longer listened to their leader's orders. This was exactly what the enemy had hoped for." In 1930, after defeating the Nationalist Army's main force at Bian Du Kou, Ma Zhongying entered Hexi, planning to attack Xinjiang, but nobody supported him. Thus, they lost a good opportunity to advance into Xinjiang. Wu Yingqi said: "Your subordinates' military discipline is too poor, and they can't distinguish between soldiers and bandits, slaughtering civilians."

  Ma Zhongying asked, "Why is that?" "They have been guarding the gate for their whole lives. If they listen to your command and go on a distant expedition, it would be good. A large army going on a distant expedition is not just about competing for territory, but also about tempering the troops."

  Wu Yingqi said, "In the Hexi Corridor, when the great army pressed the border, your subordinates betrayed you, and you only had more than 700 old soldiers left." Ma Zhongying said: "Did Spartacus also have such an experience?" "He died like this. The gladiators disobeyed orders, acted arbitrarily, and fought with the Roman army. Spartacus saw that he had to take action himself. First, he asked someone to bring his war horse over, drew his sword, and declared that if he won, he would get many good horses from the enemy, but if he lost, he wouldn't need any horses anymore. After finishing speaking, he killed the horse with a stab, then charged forward amidst flying arrows, trampling over the wounded, straight towards the Roman commander Crassus. He killed two centurions who came to meet him, but failed to reach his goal. In the end, all his companions fled, and he fought alone, resisting until he was hacked down under the enemy's heavy siege."

  Ma Zhongying was silent for a long time, "I have been yearning for an expedition a long time ago, crossing the Central Asian desert all the way to the sea." Ma Zhongying said, "That is the last ocean of riders."

  Wu Yingqi said: "I heard you drank horse blood, not with a knife but by biting it."

  Ma Zhongying said: "There is an oceanic breath in Ma's blood, from there I saw its vast estuary."

  Wu Yingqi said: "You should return to the northwest to gather your old troops and revive your army. Living under someone else's roof is not a long-term plan."

  Ma Zhongying said: "My greatest gain this time in the interior is to have made friends with you all. I will rise again, and I want to reform my troops. You must come to help me."

  Wu Yingqi said: "Our work is to organize the masses to resist the dark society."

  "Bring more friends and bring more books, I know too little about revolutionary principles, can I join your organization?"

  Ma Zhongying joined the Communist Youth League. These two members who lost contact with the organization could only develop Ma Zhongying as a league member.

  Ma Zhongying secretly returned to Ningxia.

  When Ji Hongchang had just captured Ningxia, almost all the Hui people in the provincial capital fled. A policeman killed an innocent Hui person who did not have time to escape, and Ji Hongchang immediately executed the policeman and issued a proclamation to protect the Hui people. The Hui people gradually returned to the city and their hometowns, and social order gradually stabilized. Large numbers of political workers went to areas where Hui people lived to hold mass meetings, promoting unity between Hui and Han people. Ji Hongchang personally wrote the large characters "Hui-Han as one family" which were hung on the Zhongyuan Building in the center of Yinchuan City, wore Hui clothing, shook hands with Ahong, took photos together, frequently entered mosques, convened a meeting of all the province's Hui religious leaders, and rewarded those who excelled at martial arts regardless of whether they were Hui or Han. The local Hui people were very grateful to Ji Hongchang, calling him "Ji Hui Hui". He also planned to develop Ningxia well and then lead his troops into Xinjiang, developing the entire northwest region, personally drawing a map of land reclamation in the northwest. When this news reached the ears of Northwest military leaders Song Zheyuan, Liu Yufen, Sun Liangcheng and others, they loudly accused Ji Hongchang of "usurping power" and "turning red", all going to accuse him to Feng Yuxiang.

  Ji Hongchang's actions in Ningxia were reported to the commander of the fortress, who suddenly remembered that at the beginning of the uprising, when they took control of Xunhua County and crossed the Yellow River Gorge, Ji had also proposed to return to the Han family and kill the rich to help the poor. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became: "Damn you, Ji Hongchang! Are you human or a ghost? You drove me away and now you're doing this?"

  At this time, an old man came to deliver a message on behalf of Ji Hongchang and also brought a photo of Ji Hongchang. He wanted to make friends with Ga Commander and cooperate in the construction of Ningxia. Ga Commander repeatedly looked at Ji Hongchang's photo, Ma Zhongying Ji Hongchang, Ji Hongchang Ma Zhongying, galloping horse steel knife, steel knife galloping horse, the shadows of the two people overlapping each other, unable to distinguish between them.

  Lao Ahong thought that Ji Hongchang was moved, so he said: Ningxia Hui people all call Ji Hongchang "Ji Huihui".

  "Who is he? Is he a Hui Muslim? What am I?"

  The old lady was also a fierce and proud person. "You little brat, what are you? I don't welcome you to Ningxia, what good have you done for Ningxia? Speak up, can you even open your mouth?" The old lady snatched the photo from the commander's hand, took back the letter as well, and before leaving said: "General Ji respects you as a hero, that's why he befriended you. General Ji is having a tough time, a group of blind fools are always biting him, excluding him, and he's also being bullied in the Northwestern Army. Chiang Kai-shek sent someone with an appointment letter, but General Ji tore it up on the spot and told the people from Nanjing: 'Go to hell! I only need the recognition of the common people, who needs your appointment?' You, Commander, dare to rebel against Feng Yuxiang, but General Ji doesn't even put Chiang Kai-shek in his eyes. You're still young, take your time to think about it." The old lady left with a huff.

  After being scolded, Commander Gao was sweating and his spirit lifted. Commander Gao gathered everyone to hold a meeting, saying: "Things have come to this point, the only way is to surrender, I and Zhong Jie will go inland to find an opportunity, everyone temporarily surrenders to Ji Hongchang, accepts his reorganization, Ji Hongchang won't make things difficult for you. When I and Zhong Jie get out of this predicament, I'll notify everyone again, brothers, we will rise again."

  Everyone sat down to eat, and then parted ways. The troops headed towards Ningxia, while Ma Zhongying and his brothers walked along the Yellow River. The wide river grew wider, the desert grassland sky was vast and desolate, when suddenly a loud voice burst forth: "General, you're still young, but I'm speaking and you won't listen..."