Chapter 4: First Meeting with Chen Shuxiang

  Liu Yimin and his men had a smooth journey, without any unexpected events. Due to the artillery position being bombed, they lost firepower cover, and the Guangxi Army temporarily stopped attacking. The Red Army was also busy reorganizing, and both sides were rescuing the wounded, preparing for the next wave of offense and defense. A brief calm appeared on the battlefield. Moreover, since Liu Yimin and his men were all wearing Guangxi Army uniforms, they were basically not checked along the way. When encountering stray Guangxi soldiers, they would directly eliminate them; when encountering groups of Guangxi soldiers, they would exchange greetings and go their separate ways. Along the way, they also took in some wounded Red Army soldiers.

  Look, we've already reached the flank and rear of the Red Army's position. Liu Yimin said to Wang Dahou, "We're here, let the soldiers take off their Guangxi army uniforms, you go and make contact with the troops."

  Wang Dahou crawled to the edge of the position, "Gugu, gugu" imitated a few bird calls, stopped for a moment, and then a soldier from the Red Army position also called out "Gugu, gugu" several times. He asked, "Who is it?" Wang Dahou replied that he was Wang Dahou from the 101st Regiment. Immediately, several heads appeared on the position, excitedly shouting: "Wang Squad Leader is back! Come over quickly!"

  It turned out that Wang Dahou and his men had just reached the position of the 101st Regiment. More than a dozen Red Army soldiers, supporting more than a dozen wounded Red Army soldiers they had picked up along the way, suddenly rushed into the position. A Red Army soldier shouted "Finally found the troops!" while leaning against the trench, and fell asleep in no time.

  Seeing the comrades who were thought to have sacrificed return, the Red Army's trenches immediately filled with joyful reunions, and the soldiers gathered together, asking about each other.

  Wang Dahai was busy going to report to the team leader, Liu Yimin knew that there was nothing temporary for himself, sitting there sorting out his own memories: according to records, the Red Fifth Division occupied the Xinwan array on November 27 at 4 pm, half an hour earlier than the Gui army. On the 28th at 8 am, the Gui army dispatched 6 aircraft to bomb the Red Army's position, and the Xinwan blocking battle started. After two days of fierce fighting, the Red Fifth Division suffered heavy casualties, with three team leaders killed or injured, and on the 30th, they received an urgent order to rush to support the Red Fourth Division in Guanghuapu, and handed over the defense of Xinwan to the 18th Regiment of the Red Sixth Division. Due to the 18th Regiment being stuck in Shuiche blocking the enemy, it wasn't until 3 pm on the 30th that they arrived at Xinwan, and the Red Fifth Division handed over the defense at 4 pm and rushed to Guanghuapu.

  When the 18th Red Division took over the defense, 1,500 soldiers had not slept for four days and nights. The soldiers lay down on the battlefield and did not even have time to reinforce their fortifications. After repelling the Guangxi army's eight attacks, the 18th Red Division suffered more than half casualties. Waiting for reinforcements from the 34th Red Division, they retreated towards the ferry terminal on December 1st. The entire division fought continuously during the retreat and was completely annihilated.

  The 34th Red Division arrived at the main battlefield of Guanyin Mountain when the 18th Red Division had already retreated. The new fortifications were breached, and the 34th Division was surrounded by the Guangxi army. At 2 pm, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission ordered the 34th Division to "advance from Banqiaopu to Bailuyuan, or advance from Yangliujiang via Daxi to Bailuyuan, then advance from Bailuyuan to Datangyuan via Quanzhou". The 34th Division crossed over Baojie Mountain, exited Guanyang, and entered Quanzhou. Near Wentai, they were blocked by the Guangxi army's 44th Division. Political commissar Cheng Cuilin and director of the political department Cai Zhong were killed.

  Seeing that it was impossible to cross the Xiangjiang River, division commander Chen Shuxiang led the remaining troops back along the original route to prepare for a guerrilla war in southern Hunan. They encountered an attack by the Guangxi army and were divided into several groups. Chen Shuxiang led over 1,000 soldiers back into Guanyang, where they ran out of ammunition and food, and were repeatedly surrounded and attacked by local militia.

  On December 5th, the 34th Division re-ascended Guanyin Mountain and was again attacked by local militia. Chen Shuxiang urgently convened a meeting with division and regimental cadres and announced two decisions: first, to find a weak point in the enemy's defenses and break through; second, if they could not break through, to fight to the last drop of blood for the Soviet New China.

  Chen Shuxiang and chief of staff Wang Guangdao led the remaining troops of the division headquarters and the 101st and 102nd regiments, totaling around 400-500 soldiers, towards the enemy's encirclement. The 100th Regiment, under the command of regimental commander Han Wei, was responsible for covering their retreat. After intense fighting, only over 30 soldiers from the 100th Regiment remained. Han Wei decided to disperse and break through.

  On December 9th, Chen Shuxiang was ambushed by local security forces while attempting to cross the Kuizi River in southern Hunan. Chen Shuxiang suffered abdominal injuries and was captured along with two remaining soldiers who were carrying him. Chen Shuxiang pulled out his own intestines from his wound and died. The enemy beheaded Chen Shuxiang and hung his head on the city gate of his hometown, Changsha County.

  Thus, this heroic Red Army steel guard was basically annihilated. The remaining dozen or so soldiers went into the mountains to wage guerrilla warfare, eventually growing to over 200 soldiers before being eliminated by the Nationalist Party. Except for a few soldiers who hid among civilians and escaped, only Han Wei found his way back to the Central Red Army and was awarded the rank of major general in 1955.

  Looking at the Red Army soldiers in the trenches, Liu Yimin couldn't help but burst into tears. Such good soldiers were about to be sacrificed due to Li De's blind command and killed by the Guangxi militia, which was like a bandit gang. This tragedy absolutely could not happen. But what could he do? He had just joined the Red Army, would the leaders of the 34th Division listen to him? How could he meet with Commander Chen Shuxiang and Political Commissar Cheng Cuilin? No matter what, he must see them immediately and persuade them.

  Just as Liu Yimin decided to go find Master Chen Shuxiang, Wang Dahu rushed over and shouted for him, saying that Su Daqing, the commander of the 101st Regiment, wanted to see him.

  Liu Yimin followed Wang Dahe to the temporary command post of the 101st Regiment. After Wang's report, Su Daqing, the regimental commander, looked at Liu Yimin who was still wearing the uniform of the Guangxi Army and asked: "Are you Comrade Liu Yimin?" Liu Yimin stood up straight and replied: "Reporting to the commander, Red Army soldier Liu Yimin is here. Please give instructions."

  Su Daqing walked around Liu Yimin twice and then asked: "Where did you learn this military salute?"

  Liu Yimin replied: "Reporting to the team leader, I thought of it myself by referring to the Northern Expedition Army's military etiquette. I don't know if it's correct or not yet."

  Su Daqing asked again: "How did you know the military salute of the Northern Expeditionary Army?"

  Liu Yimin repeated what he said when he first met Wang Dahu.

  Su Daqing, the team leader, said with joy: "You are very brave, blowing up the artillery position of the Gui army. You have made a great contribution to the revolution as soon as you joined the Red Army. The division commander also said that he would ask for credit for you."

  Liu Yimin bowed his head, thought for a moment, and then said: "Report to the commander, when we returned, we found that the Gui army troops were pursuing along the highway towards the Jieshou direction. After interrogating the captured prisoners, they were attacking the Red 18th Regiment, rushing to the Jieshou ferry to intercept the main force of the Red Army. It is estimated that most of our troops have crossed the Xiangjiang River. If we don't act quickly, we may be surrounded here."

  Su Daqing thought for a moment and said: "This matter is very important, you come with me to see our superiors."

  The headquarters of the 34th Division was set up in a temporary bunker on the back side of Guanyin Mountain. Liu Yimin and Wang Dahu followed Su Daqing, the regimental commander, and arrived soon after. The sentry saw that it was the commander of the 101st Regiment, saluted and let them pass. Chen Shuxiang, the division commander, was drawing on a map, heard the report, looked up and asked the commander of the 101st Regiment: "What's the situation?"

  "Report to the superior, the comrades who were on guard duty in our regiment have returned. The whole company is left with only a dozen or so people. The big explosion at the artillery position of the Guangxi Army just now was done by them. They brought back new information, I think it must be reported to you immediately, so I brought them here." Then he repeated what Liu Yimin had reported.

  "Good, great! Completing the cover-up mission, a dozen or so people blasted the enemy's artillery position. Truly our Red Army heroes! Wang Da Hu, I will request recognition for you!"

  King Dahai quickly saluted and said, "Report to the superior, the cover-up mission was completed by our regiment, the regiment commander, instructor, and most comrades sacrificed. The one who bombed the enemy artillery is this new comrade Liu Yimin who just joined our Red Army." Then he reported on the battle situation during the transfer of the covering troops, and again described how they encountered the Gui army during the breakout, almost got captured, met Liu Yimin, and how Liu Yimin bombed the enemy artillery position.

  Chen Shuxiang's superior, Ma, grabbed Liu Yimin's hand and said: "Well done! You joined the Red Army, I will ask for credit for you, do a good job!"

  Liu Yimin saw Chen Shuxiang and recalled the descriptions of him in those generals' memoirs - loyal to the party, clever and capable, rich in military experience, and strong. Thinking of this, he remembered his purpose for seeing Chen and hastily saluted to report: "Reporting to the commander, from our observations and interrogations of prisoners, the enemy's central army pursuit troops may have already broken through our Red 8th Army Corps' blocking position and are rapidly advancing towards Jieshoutou; a part of the Guangxi army is also pursuing our Red 18th Regiment towards Jieshoutou. The Hunan army is launching an all-out attack on our military positions on the west bank of Jieshoutou. From the current situation, it seems that the enemy army wants to annihilate our main force on both banks of Jieshoutou. According to my judgment, at present, our troops on the east bank of Xiangjiang River are crossing the river with all their might, and the main force will soon lose contact with the enemy. If our blocking troops on the east bank of Xiangjiang River can quickly reach the crossing point, they can still follow the main force's transfer; if there is a slight delay, it is estimated that they will be surrounded by the enemy on the east bank of Xiangjiang River. Now, our division has lost contact with the main force and is surrounded by the enemy, and it is estimated that Xiangjiang River will soon be blocked by the enemy. If we still stay in this place, when the enemy at Jieshoutou cannot catch up with our main force and turns back, we will become their target of revenge, and tens of thousands of enemy troops will swarm in, putting our army in extreme danger. Please make a quick decision, commander."

  Chen Shuxiang looked at Liu Yimin and said: "What were you doing before joining the army?"

  Liu Yimin briefly recounted his own resume. Chen Shuxiang asked again: "What do you think our army should do now?"

  "There are three routes to choose from: First, throw away all burdens and immediately advance towards the Jieshoutou ferry crossing to rescue the Red 18th Regiment and other blocking units, then quickly cross the river. If our main force has not yet completed the crossing, we can gather the blocking units on the east bank of the Xiangjiang River, increase the blocking strength, and block while crossing in batches near the crossing point. If the floating bridge at the crossing is destroyed, quickly advance downstream to Fenghuangzui to cross the river; Second, throw away all burdens, find a guide, and directly advance along the main road towards Fenghuangzui 12 kilometers downstream of Jieshoutou; Third, throw away all burdens, quickly shake off the enemy, hide and return to southern Hunan, then turn back to the Soviet area. No matter which route is taken, it must be done quickly."

  Chen Shuxiang said: "I know, you go down and rest!"

  Liu Yimin was about to salute and leave when the duty officer reported that an urgent telegram had arrived from the Military Commission of the Central Revolutionary Committee. Chen Shuxiang read the telegram, signed it, and immediately called for a messenger to inform the commanders of each regiment to come to the division headquarters for a meeting. Liu Yimin thought to himself that this must be the telegram from Li Detu's direct line ordering them to retreat along the route "from Banqiaopu to Bailuyuan, or from Yangliuqing via Danyuan to Bailuyuan, then from Bailuyuan via Quanzhou to Datangkou, and afterwards crossing the Xiang River at a suitable location south of Jieshoutou". He quickly added: "Reporting to the division commander, what our army needs is time. No matter where we go, we can't climb mountains and cross ridges. If we do that, by the time we get out of the mountains, we'll be running straight into the enemy's gunfire. Therefore, we can't follow the map in a straight line - all the straight lines on the map involve climbing mountains and crossing ridges."

  Chen Shuxiang nodded.

  Wang Dahou pulled Liu Yimin and said: "Let's go!" The two men bowed and left the headquarters.

  Actually, Liu Yimin was very reluctant to leave. He wanted to stay and participate in the discussion with the leaders of the division, to help them make plans and strategies. However, he didn't have the qualifications, as a new recruit soldier, he had already said too much, it would be easy to arouse suspicion about his identity. He knew that the Red Army was an extremely loyal and disciplined army, it was impossible for him, a newly recruited soldier, to persuade Chen Shuxiang to change the route of march. However, Liu Yimin didn't give up, he couldn't just watch this heroic army walk towards destruction. He believed that with Chen Shuxiang's military quality and the Red Army's guerrilla warfare skills, once they understood the danger they faced, they would definitely make the right choice. If not, then it was fate.

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