Chapter 26: Chiang Kai-shek and the Japanese Army's Reaction Flyover Net

  Chongqing, Chiang Kai-shek's official residence, late at night.

  Chiang Kai-shek, who had just fallen asleep after taking a sleeping pill, was woken up by his guard. It turned out that He Yingqin had arrived.

  Chiang Kai-shek has aged a lot in recent years, especially after Wang Jingwei's betrayal and the establishment of the puppet regime, which made Chiang Kai-shek resentful but helpless. The national situation is precarious, with little rest time every day, making him exhausted, with wrinkles all over his face.

  "Report to the commander, the Eighth Route Army headquarters has sent a telegram saying that the 129th Division's new 8th Brigade has recovered Guangping County." He Yingqin walked in with a beaming face and directly announced the good news without much ado.

  Chiang Kai-shek suddenly lifted his head, with a look of incredulity on his face, and asked: "Is the news true?"

  "We have not been able to verify it yet, but since the Eighth Route Army headquarters dared to send such a telegram, it means that the news should be true." He Yingqin said with a smile all over his face.

  "Great, Guangping County has been recovered! It will be reported tomorrow!" Chiang Kai-shek was very excited and stood up with the help of his cane.

  After the Battle of Wuhan during the Anti-Japanese War, it had actually entered a strategic stalemate stage. However, overall China lacked practical victories that could motivate the entire nation to continue fighting. The recovery of Guangping County brought a big gift. This was beneficial for seeking aid from the United States, no wonder Chiang Kai-shek was so excited.

  "Yes," said He Yingqin, "However, the GCD No. 3 leader of the Eighth Route Army's Chongqing office just requested to hold a press conference tomorrow on the Eighth Route Army's recovery of Guangping County, what do you think?"

  "Hmm?" Chiang Kai-shek furrowed his brow, "This... let's do it this way, tomorrow you and he will preside together. The Eighth Route Army is also a military force under the leadership of our GMD! We must emphasize that this is a victory for the Party-state, a victory for the people of the whole nation."

  The Eighth Route Army did not secretly send telegrams nationwide first, but instead sent a telegram to this leader first, which shows that the Eighth Route Army still has its own leader in mind. The press conference can be held, but of course it must be emphasized that the victory was achieved under the leadership of the party and the country, as well as under the leadership of the leader.

  "I understand!" He Yingqin said cautiously.

  Then He Yingqin looked at Chiang Kai-shek again and said in a low voice: "That New Fourth Army thing, is it delayed?"

  Chiang Kai-shek struck the floor with his cane and said, "This is a settled matter and cannot be delayed. Let Gu Zhutong and Shangguan Yun make good preparations!"

  After He Yingqin left, Chiang Kai-shek couldn't sleep anymore. He ordered his guard to immediately summon Dai Li for a meeting.

  About twenty minutes later, Dai Li rushed to the scene and stood at attention in front of Chiang Kai-shek: "Principal, student Dai Li has arrived by order, please give instructions!"

  "Rainong, in private, don't be so formal." Chiang Kai-shek was very pleased with Dai Li's attitude. "Come, sit down and talk."

  Dai Li only dared to sit with half his buttocks, his upper body straight as a pen.

  Chiang Kai-shek said: "Do you know that the Eighth Route Army has recovered Guangping County?"

  "The students already know." Dai Li said.

  "So you know how they recovered Guangping County?" Chiang Kai-shek asked.

  "The student hasn't received the intelligence in hand yet, but tomorrow the student will be able to get detailed information." Dai Li's cold sweat was all coming down. If even Old Chiang knew about it, and you, Dai Li, who are responsible for intelligence work, didn't know, then isn't that dereliction of duty?

  Chiang Kai-shek said, "Don't be nervous, I'm not blaming you. But I demand that you must get to the bottom of what's going on in Guangping County. I don't believe that just a few broken guns from the Eighth Route Army can take down the city of Guangping!"

  "Yes, Principal. The student will go and handle it right away!" Da Li stood up with a "whoosh" to answer.

  "Hmm." Chiang Kai-shek said with satisfaction.

  The student took his leave.

  ……

  On November 18, 1940, the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army suddenly announced the recovery of Guangping County. And together with Chiang Kai-shek and He Yingqin, they held a press conference in Chongqing, claiming that the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, under the leadership of the leader, with the cooperation of the GMD army, after fierce fighting, captured Guangping County in one fell swoop. More than 1,500 devils and puppet troops were annihilated, a large number of puppet troops were captured, and a large amount of weapons and ammunition were seized. This sudden move caused a stir among the Japanese army, the GMD forces, and the whole of China.

  Handan, the headquarters of the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army, Brigadier General Sakai Takaji stared blankly at the telegram handed over by his staff officer announcing that the Eighth Route Army had liberated Guangping County.

  The last time Qiu County and Quzhou County killed hundreds of devils, Sakai no longer dared to report. The Independent Mixed First Brigade is considered the elite of the Japanese army, equipped with two mechanized battalions, which is also one of the earliest mechanized units of the Japanese army.

  However, it was single-handedly taken down by a guy named Liu Feng. He even installed landmines in the ammunition depot of the county town, not only blowing up the ammunition depots of both counties but also killing dozens of Japanese soldiers who went to count the ammunition depot.

  Such an ugly thing, Sakai Takatsugu decided to cover it up. Otherwise, the commander of the North China Front Army, Tada Shunroku, would never let him go. However, Lieutenant Colonel Ozawa Ikutaro was killed in a bombing as a battalion commander, and Sakai Takatsugu dared not cover it up no matter what. But he said that Ozawa died leading his troops out of the city to sweep away the enemy, but unfortunately stepped on a Chinese landmine. So the high-level officials of the North China Front Army knew nothing about the events in Qiu County and Quzhou County.

  But now the damned Eighth Route Army is broadcasting that they have recovered Guangping County, and I can no longer conceal it. Could it be that Liu Feng has already defected to the Eighth Route Army? Otherwise, how could the Eighth Route Army with just a few broken guns capture the city of Guangping County? Even if I were to transfer the Hayashi detachment to Quzhou County, there is still a small Japanese Imperial Army unit in Guangping County and three regiments of the puppet army.

  Before Sakai could figure it out, Lieutenant General Tada Tokanji of the North China Area Army called: "Sakai Kan'ei, what are you up to? Is it true that the Eighth Route Army said they took down Guangping County?"

  "What can Sakai say? He could only report: "Report to the commander, Guangping County is temporarily out of contact. I have dispatched the Akiyama detachment to Guangping and it will arrive this afternoon. At that time, we will have accurate intelligence on Guangping County."

  Tada Kuniichi knew as soon as he heard that Guangping County had really been taken down by the Eighth Route Army, and he couldn't help but want to stretch his hand into the phone and slap Sakai Eiichi's mouth. He bellowed: "Sakai Eiichi, immediately retake Guangping! Otherwise, you'll be waiting for a military tribunal!"

  "Hey, I'll immediately restore Guangping!" Sakai had no choice but to make a promise.

  "Also, get rid of the Eighth Route Army nearby and make sure this kind of thing never happens again!" Takada Kiyoshi slammed down the phone.

  And our poor Sakai Hanji immediately called all the chiefs of staff, brigade commanders and battalion commanders to his office, scolding them one by one. He said that he had dispatched the Akiyama detachment, but in fact the Akiyama detachment was still outside Handan. He ordered them to set out immediately to sweep around and recover Guangping!