Chapter 48: Sweeping Across Eastern Guizhou (Part 1)

  At the same time as the founding meeting of the Central Guard Regiment, after a day and night of rest, eating enough food, sleeping enough, replenishing weapons and ammunition, the main force of the Central Red Army, stimulated by the battles of Xiao Shui and Xikou, was divided into five routes, like a red whirlwind, sweeping towards southeastern Guizhou.

  Historically, after the Red Army transferred troops through the Hongjun Channel, they arrived in Liping. After resting for several days in Liping, they held the famous Liping Conference to resolve whether to go north to Xiangxi or west to Guizhou. At that time, the Central Red Army had unclear strategic thinking and rested for too long in Liping, leaving time for the enemy to deploy. In addition, with the enemy's pursuit troops gathering, the troops were eager to rush forward, leaving behind a trail of broken rearguard units along the way, resulting in increasing losses. Therefore, after the Liping Conference, the First Red Army Corps marched out of Xiangjiang River, while the Third Red Army Corps attacked northward and was blocked by the enemy at Laojinping before turning towards Xiangjiang River to join forces with the First Red Army Corps, occupying Huangping and Shizhen, and heading towards Wujing River.

  With the appearance of Liu Yimin, the Central Red Army in Liping today is no longer comparable to the Central Red Army that arrived in Liping in history, whether it is command, morale, equipment or supplies. Because the Red Army has solved the strategic problem of turning towards Guizhou on the way, and is no longer passively transferred. In addition, the weapons and ammunition handed over by the 18th Regiment have made up for the loss of heavy weapons in the Xiangjiang Battle, and the soldiers' guns are full of bullets and their bodies are full of grenades. Since the pursuing troops of the Guangxi Army's 15th and 7th Corps have retreated, the attacking troops of the Hunan Army have also retreated after being attacked, Xue Yue's Central Army is still hesitating in Suining and Jingxian, and the Guizhou Army that intercepted ahead has not made good defensive preparations, what else can the Red Army be polite about?

  The First Army's 1st and 15th Divisions were on the left, the Third Army was on the right, in the middle were the Second Division of the First Army, the Cadre Division, the Fifth Army and the Ninth Army, the Central Column followed the Second Division, and the five armies advanced together towards Jianhe.

  It is said that the Red Army will go to fight against Wang Jiale, Hou Zidao and You Guocai. The people of various ethnic groups in Liping are overjoyed and enthusiastically guide the troops and provide supplies. Each regiment of the Red Army has several guides.

  The mountains are undulating and stretching far into the distance, with dense forests like seas. Under the guidance of the poor people of Liping, the Red Army marched through the towering mountains.

  At this time, Wang Jialie, the chairman of Guizhou Province and the commander of the 25th Army of the National Revolutionary Army, was in a dilemma.

  Wang Jialei, also known as Shao Wu, was from Xiaoshui Township, Xinzhai District, Tongzi County, Guizhou Province. He graduated from elementary school at the age of 18 and due to poverty, he once carried salt between Songkan and Zunyi, earning him the nickname "Wang Dage". At 19, he went to Zunyi and briefly worked as a private tutor. At 21, he joined the army in Guiyang and a year later entered the Guizhou Army Military Academy for study. He subsequently participated in the "War of National Protection" and the "War of Constitutional Protection" with the Guizhou Army.

  At this time, Wang Jiale met the most important person in his life, his wife Wan Shufen.

  Wan Shufen came from a famous family in Tongren, enjoyed reading military books and had a good writing style. When she married Wang Jialie, he was just a regimental commander. Under her guidance and help, combined with the fact that Wang Jialie himself was also an intellectual at that time, with a good foundation, Wang Jialie quickly rose through the ranks. It is said that every time Wang Jialie went into battle, Mrs. Wan would sit in a sedan chair to follow and direct him.

  In 1925, the Guizhou Army led by Zhou Xicheng expanded in successive battles and formed the Tongzi system with Zhou Xicheng as its leader and people from Tongzi as its backbone, controlling the political power of Guizhou. The Guangzhou National Government appointed Zhou Xicheng as the chairman of Guizhou Province and the commander of the 25th Army, while Wang Jialie was promoted to division commander.

  In April 1927, after Chiang Kai-shek launched the "April 12" coup, Zhou Xisheng became a warlord who controlled several counties and maintained troops to fight against the Communists under Chiang's orders. Unexpectedly, just as he was establishing his foothold in Hunan, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the 43rd Army to seize power in Guizhou. In 1929, after a battle between the 25th and 43rd Armies, Zhou Xisheng, the leader of the Guizhou warlords, was killed by a stray bullet. Chiang Kai-shek immediately appointed Li, the commander of the 43rd Army, as the Chairman of Guizhou Province.

  This angered the Tongzhi system, and its core figures gathered in Zunyi to elect Mao Guangxiang as the acting commander of the 25th Army, expelling the 43rd Army. From then on, another warlord era began with the changing flags on the city walls of Guizhou.

  First, the Guizhou army counterattacked and won, and Chiang Kai-shek appointed Mao Guangxiang as the commander of the 25th Army and provincial chairman. Before Mao Guangxiang could even warm up his seat, Chiang Kai-shek supported Wang Jialie in driving out Mao Guangxiang, and let Wang Jialie take over as commander of the 25th Army and provincial chairman. As a result, the old guard of the Tongzi faction thought that Wang Jialie was treacherous and openly declared war, causing another division commander of the Guizhou army, You Guocai, to occupy Guiyang. Chiang Kai-shek received the report of You Guocai's occupation of Guiyang and immediately appointed him as commander of the 25th Army and provincial chairman without considering whether Wang Jialie's troops could still defeat the enemy. When Wang Jialie drove out You Guocai, Chiang Kai-shek again immediately appointed Wang Jialie as commander of the 25th Army and provincial chairman. The Tongzi faction was afraid that continued infighting would jeopardize their fundamental interests, so they instigated Wang Jialie to negotiate with several other powerful factions, ultimately forming a situation in which others nominally submitted to Wang Jialie. Look at how Chiang Kai-shek and the Nanjing National Government were exhausted! Just the announcements appointing the provincial chairman were issued several times, causing ordinary people at the time to be unclear about who was actually appointed by the National Government as the chairman of Guizhou Province.

  Those familiar with Wang Jia Li knew he liked to wear military uniforms, tie a wide leather belt and hang a small handgun on the belt.

  Now, Wang Jia Lie, clad in armor, is thinking about how to respond to the current situation.

  The day before yesterday, December 13th, the Central Red Army occupied Liping. Wang Jialei rushed to Machangping to direct the battle. He let Yu Guocai serve as the commander-in-chief of the bandit-suppressing army in Guizhou, and his own trusted subordinate, He Zhihong, serve as deputy commander-in-chief. The main force of the 25th Army was deployed in various counties in eastern Guizhou. Yu Guocai handed over his six regiments to Wang Jialei's command. Hou Zhen was ordered to defend along the Wujiang River in Huangping and Shibing. The overall defensive plan was to prevent the Red Army from entering the heart of Guizhou. Unexpectedly, after arriving at Machangping, Wang Jialei developed a headache.

  There were three main reasons why Wang Jia Li was having a headache.

  One is that Guizhou has not been truly unified under his control. Hou Zhen, the deputy commander of the 25th Army, occupied the northern part of Guizhou, including Chishui, Renhuai, Xishui, and Suiyang counties. Yu Guocai, another deputy commander, controlled the southwestern part of Guizhou, specifically the Panjiang region. Jiang Zhen, also a deputy commander, defected to Liu Xiang and occupied Qianjiang and Dongxi, ready to return to northern Guizhou at any time. These three men nominally obeyed orders but were actually warlords in their own right, with only He Zhicheng and Bai Hui Zhang's two divisions under his direct command. Now, Yu Guocai was asked to hand over six regiments for him to command, but there was no response. It can be imagined that Hou Zhen's defense line on the Wujiang River probably did not exert its full strength either.

  The second is the Red Army, where it's not good to go, but they insist on going to the Xiangxi border, and even entered Guizhou. What's good about Guizhou? Nine mountains, half water, half divided fields, everywhere are stubborn people and poor devils. My old Wang's troops rely on tobacco tax to make a living, don't you know my policy is to ban prostitution and gambling but not tobacco? Your arrival is not a big deal, but it brought trouble for me, because you attracted Chiang Kai-shek and his Central Army.

  The third one was Chiang Kai-shek. Wang Jialei himself felt that it was still better to listen to Chiang's call, basically Chiang let him fight whoever he wanted, and when he met with Chiang, Chiang's attitude was very good, giving him money, guns, and cannons. However, Wang Jialei always felt that Chiang's eyes were like a deep pool of water, black and mysterious, and it was impossible to see the bottom. Last time, Yu Guozhen occupied Guiyang, Chiang immediately issued an announcement appointing the provincial chairman, wasn't that clearly showing that he might abandon or annex him at any time? As soon as the Red Army entered Guizhou, Chiang's Central Army would definitely follow, was he coming to fight the Red Army or himself? Probably three points for fighting the Red Army and seven points for fighting himself. After all, Guizhou is located in the strategic position of the six provinces in the southwest, I, Wang Jialei, as the provincial chairman, how could Chiang's students be more reassuring than me?

  Thinking about these three issues, the key is the Red Army issue. If the Red Army doesn't come, Chairman Chiang might not be able to directly take action to occupy Guizhou for a while, and he can also free up time and troops to slowly capture those three disobedient guys.

  Speak of the devil, the Red Army really entered Guizhou. The original plan was to follow Chiang's order and block the Red Army at the Jinping and Liping line, cutting off their entry into Guizhou. But before our five regiments could arrive in Liping, the Red Army had already occupied it. Fortunately, we had built fortifications on the old Jinping line, with dense bamboo stakes outside, hoping to make the Red Army retreat and continue advancing towards western Hunan.

  Wait, what if the Red Army doesn't go to Xiangxi but instead enters the heart of Guizhou? What should I do then? A hard fight is out of the question, my own troops are no match for the Red Army. Moreover, a hard fight would only benefit Old Chiang and those three disobedient guys. But thinking again, if I can use the Red Army's hands to get rid of Yu Zupei, Hou Zongli, and Jiang Tingchen, these three guys, and then join forces with the Guangxi clique to block the Central Army in eastern Guizhou, wouldn't that be even better? In short, everything should prioritize preserving my own strength. Blocking the Red Army in eastern Guizhou or engaging in a token pursuit are both fine, just don't let them enter central Guizhou!

  On this side is Guizhou Wang Wangjia lying on the left thinking deeply, on that side is Hunan Wang Hejian raging like thunder.

  What made He Jian jump with rage was the telegram in his hand.

  On the afternoon of the 14th, Liu Yimin wrote a letter and asked Li Qing to find someone to deliver it to the head of Nanmuqiao Township. The township head saw that the letter was addressed to Chairman He and did not dare to delay, immediately riding a mule to Suining, handing it over to the county magistrate. The county magistrate felt that the matter was important and asked for instructions from his superiors. His superiors instructed him to send the letter directly to Liu Jianxu, the head of Jing County, as sending it to Changsha would be too slow. After receiving the letter, Liu Jianxu read it once and ordered it to be sent to Chairman He by telegram.

  Not long after, on the afternoon of the 15th, He Jian received this telegram in Changsha.

  The letter was written like this:

  "Letter from Liu Yimin, Commander of the Central Guard Regiment of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, to He Jian, Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Government"

  Mr. He Jian:

  You followed Chiang Kai-shek, led your troops to encircle and attack the Red Army multiple times, slaughtering our revolutionary martyrs and innocent civilians, committing heinous crimes against the Chinese people.

  Now I am leading the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to march north to resist Japan, you as a general of the army and provincial chairman, with an army of one million, do not think about resisting Japan and saving the country, but instead surround and attack my main force of the Red Army that is marching north to resist Japan on the Xiangjiang River, slaughtering anti-Japanese officers and soldiers, just like a Han traitor. You have committed another unpardonable crime against the state and nation. If you do not rein in your horse at the edge of the cliff immediately, then future history books will surely condemn you with verbal and written criticism, making you infamous for ten thousand years and bringing shame to your descendants.

  On the 12th, Xiaoshui was defeated in one battle, and your 16th Division was completely annihilated; In the second battle of Xiguan, your 62nd and 63rd Divisions were also completely annihilated.

  I am entrusted by the Headquarters of the Red Army to negotiate with you on the matter of handing over your captured officers and men.

  One, your 16th Division Commander Zhang Liangji, 62nd Division Commander Tao Guang and six brigade commanders (including the 63rd Brigade Commander Li Bohao) and other eight generals were captured. Also seized were: 400,000 yuan in silver, 50 Czech-style light machine guns, 2,000 Type 79 rifles, 100 new-style shotguns, 1,000 rounds of 75mm mountain gun ammunition, 2,000 rounds of 60mm mortar ammunition, 30,000 hand grenades, 1 million rounds of heavy machine gun ammunition, 2 million rounds of light machine gun ammunition, 600,000 rounds of rifle ammunition and 10,000 rounds of pistol ammunition. Additionally, 200 mules were captured.

  Two, your unit was captured with 105 lower-level military officers, 600,000 silver dollars, 60 Czech-style light machine guns, 200 Type 79 rifles, 200 new-style shotguns, 1,500 rounds of 75mm mountain gun ammunition, 3,000 rounds of 60mm mortar ammunition, 40,000 hand grenades, 1 million rounds of heavy machine gun ammunition, 2 million rounds of light machine gun ammunition, 1 million rounds of Type 79 rifle ammunition, and 20,000 rounds of pistol ammunition. Also captured were 300 mules.

  Third, the 1,300 lightly wounded soldiers of your unit who were captured will be exchanged for the Red Army soldiers you are holding captive at a ratio of two Red Army soldiers for every one soldier from your unit. If there is any shortfall, compensation of 500 yuan per person will be paid.

  If you are not willing to carry out the order, our department will directly inform Generals Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji and soldiers through radio broadcasts nationwide, letting you abandon your evil reputation and spread it throughout the country. At the same time, our department will mobilize Generals Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji and lightly wounded soldiers to join the Red Army. It is said that both Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji have high military literacy, and your soldiers are well-trained, which is exactly what the Red Army needs when going north to fight against Japan. In the future, after the Red Army defeats the Japanese invaders, it will order Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji to lead their troops to liberate Hunan Province and capture you alive in Changsha.

  If you agree to exchange, before the 17th of this month, deliver all the aforementioned goods to Tongdaoxi Creek. No delay will be tolerated.

  If you want to create the effect of a sudden attack from all sides during the exchange, I have no objection to inviting General Liu Jianxue, General Li Jue and other Hunan officers to my division as guests. At that time, we can continue to discuss their exchange issues.

  Don't expect to reveal intelligence to the Central Army, I intend to invite them as guests.

  Furthermore, the 63rd Division's commander Chen Guangzhong took pleasure in massacring innocent civilians and committed numerous atrocities, arousing public outrage. Our troops have already shot him dead. Take this as a warning, Mr. He Jian should think thrice.

  I heard that the chef from Changsha makes Hunan dishes with a unique flavor, and I really want to try it myself. Unfortunately, as a soldier fighting against the Japanese invasion, I have no time to spare. If Mr. He Jian does not agree with this meeting, when the time comes, I will lead my troops back to Hunan, take a stroll on Orange Island with General He Long and General Xiao Ke, and I reckon our Party Central Committee and the Red Army Headquarters won't hold me accountable for disobeying military orders. I wish Mr. He Jian all the best. I eagerly await your response!

  Liu Yimin, Commander of the Central Guard Regiment of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army

  December 14, 1934

  After reading the telegram, He Jian naturally became furious! In He Jian's official residence in Changsha, his angry and exasperated voice echoed everywhere: "This is purely extortion, naked extortion! Despicable to the extreme! Shameless to the extreme! Isn't the Red Army known as a righteous army? When did such scoundrels appear. Nameless rats, you are too presumptuous!"

  After scolding and shouting, He Jian sat down on the chair with a thud. What to do about this matter? It's better for Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji to come back. As long as they can return without being detected, bringing more than 100 mid-to-low-level military officers and 1,300 soldiers, he can report to Nanjing that the 16th, 62nd, and 63rd divisions suffered heavy losses, but the backbone troops broke through, and can quickly withdraw troops to reorganize these three divisions.

  But to let them return, the cost is too great, isn't it? Money is easy to say, just collect more taxes. But weapons and ammunition are not a small matter, if Chiang Kai-shek finds out, won't he label himself as a bandit? Moreover, giving the Red Army so much ammunition, isn't that aiding the enemy? Who will they use this much ammunition to fight against, will they turn around and attack us again? However, thinking about it again, if our own strength can recover quickly, what can Chiang Kai-shek do even if he finds out? If our strength is damaged too greatly, even if we fight the Red Army every day, Chiang Kai-shek will still think of a crime to put us in jail. Besides, judging from the situation in the letter, these Red Army troops might really be heading north, at least fleeing to Guizhou, saying they are fighting Hunan and so on is just forcing us to surrender.

  If they are not allowed to return, it will not work. When the matter is exposed, losing face is a small matter, but will it make the subordinates feel cold? In that case, if Chairman Chiang pulls out and divides, I'm afraid I'll become isolated soon. Besides, after Chairman Chiang received Liu Jianxu's telegram, he didn't mention the formation of the three regiments at all, only gave 200,000 yuan to comfort the dead soldiers, making it clear that he doesn't want to restore the 16th, 62nd and 63rd regiments. Ridiculous! 200,000 yuan, do I lack this 200,000 yuan? What I want is the formation of my three elite regiments, but Chairman Chiang probably won't give it to me.

  After some thought, He Jian felt that he should quickly get back to Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji. As for the weapons and ammunition, as well as the money, they could send someone to negotiate with the Red Army. Since it was a business deal, they had to haggle over prices. The most urgent matter was speed. If the Central Army and the secret agents found out about this, the whole thing would fall through. Not only would Tao Guang and Zhang Liangji not be able to return, but also the three regiments' organization would probably not even be considered. Thinking of this, He Jian directly ordered his chief of staff: "Get me a phone call with Huifu!"