Bright Sword: Construction starts from southeastern Shanxi

In order to prevent the 9th Regiment from escaping during the encirclement and suppression, Zeng Jiwen also mobilized the nearby local guerrillas and the 121st Regiment of Zanhuang to set up a larger encirclement around the ambush circle in addition to the 782nd Regiment, the 81st Regiment and the Artillery Regiment to prevent it from escaping.

However, he did not expect that this group of Japanese troops had become arrogant since entering the Chinese battlefield, and they were also so rampant in fighting in Shanxi, which saved Chen Zifeng a lot of energy.

In Beixiaozhuang, when the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 83rd Regiment, led by their commander Zhang Ziqing, attacked the 20th Regiment, they encountered the same situation as the 782nd Regiment. Like the 9th Regiment, they rushed directly towards the soldiers of the 83rd Regiment.

Zhang Ziqing led two battalions in fighting and retreating, and easily lured the 20th Regiment from Longmen to the Lijiazhuang area.

10:30 am, 389th Brigade Headquarters.

At this time, Zeng Jiwen, Wang Zhuo, Zhu Guosheng and Cai Xu marked the action positions of each unit on the map based on the telegrams sent by each regiment to judge the current situation.

"Old Zeng, most of the regiments are doing well at the moment, but the 14th Division and the 16th Division are beyond our expectations." Wang Zhuo looked at the map with a serious expression.

"That's right. Our original plan was to cripple them along the way to Licheng, but the 59th Regiment was very aggressive and kept chasing the 1st Battalion of the 86th Regiment. We forced Comrade Jinquan to send another battalion to Xijing to replace the 1st Battalion." Zhu Guosheng agreed.

"They held onto the 1st Battalion relentlessly the entire way, and they almost couldn't escape. Their combat effectiveness was clearly much stronger than the 20th and 108th Divisions before them."

"The same goes for the Japanese troops in Wu'an. To minimize casualties, we need to alert them. Once the Japanese begin to reinforce the 16th Division, we can open the way for them and harass them along the way." Wang Zhuo said, looking at the map. "As long as the two regiments of the 16th Division are completely wiped out, the 14th Division will naturally withdraw immediately."

"When the 782nd Regiment and the 83rd and 87th Regiments start to ambush these two regiments, we can let Lao Chen attack Changzhi. At that time, it depends on what choice the two regiments of the 14th Division will make." Zeng Jiwen said.

"Let's see which Japanese army is coming back to support us. If we surround Lao Chen, we will not only kill them but at least cripple them!" Zeng Jiwen said and put the pencil in his hand on the table.

11:00 a.m., Qiheng Village.

At this time, as Zhou Zian led the first battalion, fighting and retreating, he gradually led the vanguard of the 9th Regiment of the 16th Division along the narrow road to the upward slope at the entrance of Qiheng Village.

At this time, in the forward command post on the eastern mountain, Chen Zifeng and Chief of Staff Hu Zhen were watching through binoculars as the vanguard of the Japanese army had begun to attack the top of the slope north of the village, and the first battalion was relying on defensive fortifications to launch a counterattack.

"These Japanese devils, even though their cavalry squadron was crippled, are still rushing forward recklessly. They are really not afraid of our ambush." ​​Chen Zifeng turned and said to Hu Zhen.

Hu Zhen nodded. "After the 1st Battalion's machine gun company crippled the 9th Regiment's cavalry, Tong Hulang immediately sent an infantry battalion to counterattack without a second thought."

Suddenly, Chen Zifeng asked, "Have the Ninth Regiment's follow-up troops arrived yet?"

"Yes, the third battalion commander Yang Guilin just sent a message saying that they have blocked the retreat of the 9th Regiment." The chief of staff responded.

"Okay, we can send a signal to the Second Battalion now. Let the Second Battalion fire the signal flares immediately and all units prepare to open fire!" Chen Zifeng put down the telescope and said to Hu Zhen.

Because the road to the west of Qigeng Village is winding and less than 2 meters wide, most of the road to the south of the village is a dirt embankment about 10 meters high, and there is a ravine dozens of meters deep on the north side. According to the previous ambush plan, the 3rd Battalion of the 782nd Regiment was responsible for blocking the retreat of the 9th Regiment.

The 1st Battalion of the 81st Regiment and the 2nd Battalion of the 782nd Regiment were lying in ambush on the mountains in the north and south, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 81st Regiment were lurking on the earthen ridges in the south and east, and the 121st Regiment was in the surrounding mountains to prevent the defeated soldiers of the 9th Regiment from fleeing.