Chapter 42: The Great Battle of Mianhu (Part 1)
Beijing, Xiehe Hospital.
Premier Sun on his sickbed looked extremely haggard and pale.
This leader of the Nationalist Party, a worshiper of Huangpu Military Academy, has entered into the countdown of his life.
Soong Ching-ling stood by, forcing a smile on her face, but unable to conceal the worry in her heart. He Xiangning was warmly asking Premier Sun what he needed.
"Grand Marshal, Guangdong Express Report." Wang Jingwei walked over from outside with a telegram in his hand and a joyful expression on his face.
A faint smile appeared on Premier Sun's pale face.
"Has the Allied forces' battle been won? And what about the Party Army troops?" Premier Sun anxiously and eagerly inquired, the Party Army troops being his last hope.
"The party army set out from Humen, successively defeating Dongguan and Pinghu. Today, they clashed with Chen's main force of over 4,000 people in Danshui. The third battalion commander Sun Xinghua personally led the vanguard team, captured the city wall, and the party army annihilated the Danshui garrison, capturing Danshui City." Wang Jingwei looked at Premier Sun, excitedly saying.
Premier Sun's pale face was suddenly filled with excited flush, and his body also trembled with excitement. Looking at the pen and paper beside him, Premier Sun wrote the four characters "Party Army Honor" on the spot.
"The party and army troops did not disappoint my expectations. How are the casualties?" Premier Sun looked at his own handwriting, a concerned expression on his face.
Wang Jingwei fell silent, glanced at Soong Ching-ling beside him, and Soong Ching-ling slightly shook her head, indicating that Wang Jingwei should not mention these things to provoke Premier Sun.
"What's wrong, is the casualty too heavy?" Premier Sun saw Wang Jingwei not speaking and became even more anxious. His right hand, which was originally holding the brush, also shook involuntarily, causing the brush to fall to the ground, leaving several ink spots.
Soong Ching-ling sighed helplessly and didn't say anything.
Wang Jingwei did not dare to deceive at this moment, looking at Premier Sun and saying: "Cai Guangjie, Ye You, Lin Guanya, Jiang Xiling and others were shot one after another, with over 100 casualties."
Premier Sun's eyebrows were tightly furrowed and the smile on his face disappeared.
After a moment of silence, Premier Sun looked at Wang Jingwei and said: "You send a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, telling him to cherish the Whampoa students and not let them sacrifice easily. It's better to lose a regiment than to lose a military academy student. Also, draft a telegram for Chiang to convey my condolences to the officers and soldiers of the Eastern Expedition."
Wang Jingwei nodded and immediately walked out towards the outside.
On the afternoon of February 15, 1925, the Guangdong Army's Seventh Brigade, which was defending Danshui, began a large-scale retreat. Immediately afterwards, Chen Jiongming's soldiers also broke through the defensive positions of the Second Instructional Regiment.
Chiang Kai-shek personally went to the front line to direct the battle, while Wang Boling, the commander of the Second Regiment of the Training Division in the city, arrived late.
Chiang Kai-shek immediately asked him how many men he had brought, and he said he had brought a company. Chiang Kai-shek angrily said: "I appointed you as the regiment commander, not the company commander!"
He Yingqin, the commander of the 1st Division, ordered the 2nd Regiment to counterattack Chen's troops under the command of Regimental Commander Liu Zhi. The 3rd Regiment made a detour and attacked Chen's troops from both front and rear with the 2nd Regiment.
By nightfall, Liu Zhen personally led the troops to counterattack Chen's army. Both sides fell into chaos, and Chen's army did not know the actual number of the Party's military forces. When three battalions broke out from the rear, Chen's army began to retreat in defeat, turning around and running away in fear. With this defeat of Chen's army, a full-scale collapse of Chen's army began to appear.
Chiang took advantage of the opportunity and ordered the First Corps and the Second Division of the Guangdong Army to launch a pursuit.
Having the opportunity to beat a fallen man, the Guangdong Army naturally would not give it up and immediately threw themselves into battle.
By the second morning, Chen Jun's troops, who had come to reinforce Huizhou, were surrounded and annihilated in one part, and fled back to Huizhou with a dejected look. The right route army gave up the pursuit and stayed in Danshui City.
On February 16th, Principal Chiang convened two teaching groups outside the city for a speech.
"This time, the 2000 revolutionary army defeated 5,000 to 6,000 enemies, captured 2,000 and seized over 1,000 guns. This is a very good achievement. However, in the later stages of the battle, the troops became disorganized, some officers abandoned their units, and some led the way in fleeing." Principal Chiang said sternly.
Wang Boling, being remiss in his vigilance, led to the defeat of the Second Regiment. He was removed from his position as regiment commander starting that day and replaced by Shen Yingshi, who was promoted from battalion commander of the First Regiment. Due to Shen's injury, Qian Dajun temporarily took over as acting commander of the Second Regiment.
"Company 2, Battalion 7, Commander Sun Liang fled the battlefield, was punished according to collective responsibility, sentenced to death and executed by firing squad immediately."
Principal Jiang stood on the stage, shouting loudly.
A lieutenant was dragged out, the officer's face turned pale, looking at Principal Chiang, hastily shouting: "Older cousin, I was wrong, I dare not again, spare me!"
Principal Chiang waved his hand coldly and didn't even glance at the officer.
"Director Zhou, I was wrong, I dare not, please spare me." This officer was Sun Liang, a graduate of the first class of Huangpu, Chiang's cousin. He looked at Principal Chiang without speaking and hurriedly begged Director Zhou for mercy.
Sun Xinghua stood in the ranks, Sun Liang in the movie was secretly released by Principal Jiang. At that time, after watching the movie, Sun Xinghua felt that the movie was completely a brain-damaged film. What identity does Principal Jiang have now? Commander of the Party Army, Chief of Staff of the Guangdong Army, let alone his cousin, even if he were his own brother, he would still be shot dead.
This concerns Principal Chiang's future prospects and also concerns Principal Chiang's prestige among his subordinates.
After contacting Chiang's suppression of bandits, he didn't even care about his son in the Soviet Union, how could he be influenced by a cousin for his own career?
"Director Zhou, no need to drag him elsewhere, just shoot him on the spot." Principal Jiang said coldly as he saw a soldier trying to pull Sun Liang away.
"Yes." Director Zhou saluted and waved his hand at a soldier standing beside him.
Sun Liang was tied up and shot in front of the officers and men of two battalions.
Sun Liang fell to the ground, with blood flowing all over the place.
"I hope you all can learn from this and not make the same mistake again." Principal Jiang said coldly.
After Principal Chiang finished speaking, the expressions of the officers and soldiers all turned serious.
Director Zhou started walking over, looking at the soldiers and said: "Comrades, our troops have just been established, yet we've achieved so many accomplishments in a row, I'm extremely delighted. Principal Chiang has already sent your combat situation to Premier Sun in Beijing, and Premier Sun is very satisfied with your performance."
The officers heard Premier Sun express satisfaction with their performance and smiled on their faces.
They all knew that Premier Sun had fallen ill and was in very poor health. Now everything he did himself, Premier Sun was very satisfied with, this is the greatest affirmation for them.
Director Zhou immediately read out the telegram sent by Premier Sun in its entirety.
When Huangpu's disciples heard Premier Sun's concern for them, they all looked solemn. They were worried about Premier Sun's illness and at the same time moved by his deep affection.
