Chapter 22: Leaving Qilian Mountain

  Wu Bing found Li Ping and asked about the recent situation of the "Women's" team. He learned that after they left, the team decided to speed up their march again, trying to shorten the distance with the small squad. In addition, a mountain valley one day's journey away from here discovered Wu Bing staying behind to take care of three

  Patient's small team members.

  The women's squad on the way to the rest area was surrounded by soldiers who gazed at them with admiring eyes, and these female soldiers were incredibly proud.

  Li Ping said to Zhao Lianchang, who led them: We have nearly three hundred sets of cotton clothes captured here. Before Wang Tuanzhang went up the mountain, he asked me to hand them over to you. There are also some guns, ammunition and supplies that will be handed over together. Please organize people to check and receive them.

  Zhao Lianchang excitedly grasped Li Ping's hand and said: Thank you so much, I'll immediately report to the leader to organize personnel to come and take over. After finishing speaking, he turned around hastily to organize personnel and went to report to the leader.

  Commander Wang and others arrived at the mountain and began a meeting with the headquarters leaders to discuss the next action plan.

  At this time, Zhao Lianzhang walked up to a superior and whispered a few words in his ear. The superior looked at Wang Tuanzhang with surprise and then said to Zhao Lianzhang: Alright, I understand, you go ahead and take care of it.

  Several leaders at the meeting and Captain Wang looked at him, and one of the leaders said: "Just now, Commissar Zhao said that the 'Women's' team brought us a large number of cotton-padded jackets and supplies, solving our pressing problem! Captain Wang, I represent the headquarters to thank you!"

  The leader was moved by this and said that it was what they should have done. The other leaders also expressed their gratitude after hearing this.

  After some polite words, Comrade Cheng, the host of the meeting, said: "Comrade Wang, please tell us about the process of these battles, so that everyone can learn from them."

  Commander Wang reported in detail on the battles of Liyuan Kou blocking battle and afterwards the main peak area of Qilian Mountain.

  Here is the translation:

  In this report, Wu Bing's situation was emphasized. Due to the critical battle situation, his identity and background have not been clarified until now. However, in several battles, the "Women's" team was able to cleanly and efficiently eliminate the enemy and seize supplies, with Wu Bing's performance playing a decisive role each time.

  Moreover, according to observation, this person has a fairly high level of military expertise and is equipped with quite advanced weaponry. In terms of battlefield first aid, he also excels. All in all, Wu Bing is an outstanding talent in every aspect.

  At this time, a leader raised doubts: I heard that Comrade Wu Bing is an overseas Chinese who has returned to China, but I always have some doubts about his concealment from us. I suggest that the Women's Federation investigate Comrade Wu Bing's identity and political tendencies.

  Cheng looked at Wang and said: Alright, I'll leave it to you, investigate as soon as possible.

  Comrade Commander Wang stood up and shouted: "Yes!" Then he continued to say: Comrades, I believe that Comrade Wu Bing is loyal to our Red Army. He has risked his life several times to help our regiment escape danger, which can prove it. As for his background, we will investigate.

  Comrade Commander Cheng said: Let's leave Comrade Wu Bing's matter for now! There is another thing I want to report to you, we contacted the Party Central Committee on March 23. The Party Central Committee instructed us to preserve our strength and unite as one. The direction of our advance will be decided by ourselves, either Xinjiang or 'Mongolia'.

  We have already held a meeting to study and decide to go to Xinjiang, and informed the Central Committee. Several people from the 'Women's' team heard this news and were overjoyed, and announced that they would inform the whole team to boost morale.

  After more than 20 days of arduous marching in the Qilian Mountains, they climbed mountains and crossed ridges during the day with a compass, and at night they camped in the wind-sheltered mountain valleys, sleeping by the fire. Because the history of the Women's Detachment was altered by Wu Bing, and they also carried a large amount of supplies for sustenance.

  The headquarters of the Left Column has been fully replenished. Wu Bing and others have hunted wild cows, wild goats, and supplemented a large amount of "meat" for the troops along the way.

  By mid-April 1937, the original number of people in history was over 1,000, and now it has reached over 1,700. The revised Left Column became stronger than in history due to the addition of the 'Women's' team.

  The left detachment crossed the Ulan Daban and entered the Kokose of the Shule River. The troops bought several hundred head of cattle from local people and invited local herdsman Norbu Zangmu to serve as a guide, heading towards the Ganbei Plain. Finally arrived at Shi Bao Cheng to rest for a day.

  On April 22, 1937, under the leadership of the herdsman Norbu Tsering, after a night of arduous march, they crossed the Shuiyuankou and Langangou to arrive at Moguotai in Anxi County along the Taishi River. This is an oasis in the mountain valley gorge in front of the Qilian Mountains.

  The Left Route Army took a short rest here. Although the troops were hard, they were not surprised or punished by the local host, Daoist Master Guo Yuanheng, who was deeply moved and very sympathetic to the Red Army, and provided a large amount of food support to the Left Route Army.

  The next day, when the troops left Mushroom Platform, Commander Cheng Shicai gave a proof of receipt of supported food and livestock to Dao Zhang Guo Yuanheng. He also told him: In the future, no matter if I am here or not, as long as you have this note, find the team, everyone will definitely help you.

  From then on, Guo Yuanheng and the Red Army had a deep friendship. After sending the Red Army to Kagebo Mountain, he bid farewell to the commanders of the Left Route Army with reluctance.

  Wu Bing saw all of this and thought to himself: Only such a troop is what a country truly needs, our poor and backward motherland will have hope only with them.

  On April 24, the troops arrived at Shigong Village, 25 miles away from Anxi County, with headquarters in Liujiachangzi and Majiazhuangzi, and each company rested in place. In order to obtain supplies and enter Xinjiang as soon as possible, Commander-in-Chief Li Xiannian issued an order to prepare for battle.

  When several commanders chatted after completing the battle plan, they mentioned Wu Bing, the company commander of the "Women's" battalion. One commander said: Comrade Wu Bing's method of training soldiers is completely different from ours, but his method can make soldiers grasp the essentials quickly.

  For example, in "shooting" he even made up a few tongue twisters.

  "What's going on?" Director Li said.

  It's like this, for example when shooting at enemies in the mountains, it's said that those going up the mountain hit their heads and those going down the mountain hit their feet.

  A few people thought carefully and someone said: It makes sense to give the enemy's advance quantity in advance, as long as you aim at it, you will definitely hit the enemy.

  He also trained the pike men in groups of three, back to back, facing outwards towards the enemy. I have observed that to break this formation requires a force several times larger.

  This guy is interesting, Little Zhang go and find Comrade Wu Bing. Director Li said.

  Yes, the guard Xiao Zhang turned around and went to find Wu Bing.

  At this time, Wu Bing was standing on a hillside watching the three companies of "female" soldiers training below, but his face was filled with waves of bitterness and he thought to himself: History is history, it won't change because of some small person.

  After receiving the order to prepare for the attack on Anxi County, Wu Bing was worried about how to stop this battle. Because in history, Ma Buqing's 596th Regiment of Su Prefecture had arrived at Anxi on April 23, a day before the Left Route Army attacked, and defended it.

  Just as Wu Bing was worried, he heard the instructor Li Ping, who was supervising the troops training at the foot of the mountain, shouting to him: "Captain Wu, the commander of the detachment asks you to report to headquarters."