Newborn 1927

Directly opposite Gao Shuxun, at a lookout point of a defensive fortification, Bai Lang was also observing the forward positions through binoculars. The enemy artillery positions had been destroyed in the first round of artillery fire. Now the enemy troops could only take the hits and couldn't retaliate. Bai Lang said, "The young commander is really generous! Two artillery regiments, so many shells, just like they're free. In the end, all that'll be left is collecting corpses. Gao Qiang, your regiment really got a great deal this time, leading the main attack." Gao Qiang, standing next to him, said, "Next time we're going to have a tough time, I'll still be leading the attack." Bai Lang put down his binoculars and turned around, saying, "Judging from the young commander's approach, I guess we won't have a chance to get any tough time. Send the order to the artillery regiments to extend their firing range. In ten minutes, the infantry will attack." Gao Qiang said, "I'll personally go to the front lines to command the attack." Without waiting for Bai Lang's reply, he turned and left the command post.

When Gao Qiang arrived at the front line, the artillery had already extended, and the enemy's front line was in ruins. Gao Qiang lay prone in the trench for a moment, then turned back and said, "Gao Li, you understand without me saying it. We two won't be able to face the young commander without going through hell and back. I've secured the main attack mission. You'll personally lead the assault and take the enemy position in one fell swoop, opening a breakthrough for the whole regiment." Gao Li replied, "Don't worry, Brother Qiang, I've already made preparations. I've even arranged my affairs." Gao Qiang patted him on the shoulder and said, "Fighting requires fierceness, but not recklessness. Come back alive! The young commander still needs us." Gao Li nodded and shouted, "Third Company, check your ammunition and prepare to attack!"

Before the artillery fire ceased, Gao Li led the Third Company out of the trenches, cautiously approaching the enemy position in skirmish formation. The enemy position remained completely still; not a single person emerged. Gao Li dared not be careless. When they were about 50 meters from the enemy position and still saw no movement, he ordered, "Throw a round of grenades! Bomb them!" Money talks; they didn't care if there were any enemies, they'd just bomb them first. After throwing the grenades, seeing still no response, the soldiers charged forward with renewed vigor.

There were almost no survivors on the enemy's front lines. The few surviving soldiers lay trembling on the ground, covering their heads and ears. When the People's Liberation Army rushed in, they immediately shouted, "Stop bombing! We surrender!" If they hadn't been too afraid to show their faces, they would have raised the white flag long ago.

Seeing that Gao Li had broken through the enemy's lines, Gao Qiang immediately ordered the follow-up troops to pursue. Gao Li ignored the prisoners and led his company to continue the assault. The entire battlefield looked as if it had been plowed through, riddled with potholes. After the shelling ceased, wherever they went, enemy soldiers either fled or surrendered, encountering little to no resistance.

After passing through the enemy lines, they saw a group of soldiers digging on a slope. Gao Li led his men over to capture them. Upon seeing Gao Li and his men, the soldiers shouted, "Don't shoot! We surrender! We surrender! Come and save our commander!"

Gao Li asked, "What happened?" Someone replied, "The command post was bombed and collapsed. Division Commander Gao is still inside." Upon hearing that it was a division commander surnamed Gao, Gao Li immediately ordered everyone to help dig. After digging away a layer of topsoil, wooden planks and sleepers were exposed. After moving them aside, they found people trapped underneath. A man dressed in an officer's uniform was pulled out; although he was barely alive, he was still alive. Gao Li asked, "Is this your Division Commander Gao?" A soldier replied, "Yes. He is our Division Commander Gao Shuxun. He is a good man and has always treated us well."

Although Gao Shuxun had constructed underground bunkers, he underestimated the power of the 105mm cannons. A shell landed nearby, causing the bunkers to collapse and burying everyone in the command post. It was only thanks to the unwavering loyalty of his bodyguard, who didn't abandon the rescue, that they were truly buried alive. With the command post destroyed by artillery fire, the entire battlefield lost its effective command, leaving virtually no capacity for resistance. When Bai Lang ordered a full-scale attack, all that remained was capturing prisoners.

Gao Shuxun wasn't injured; he was trapped under the overhead sleepers and couldn't get up, suffocating and falling into a coma. Gao Li and the others had all learned CPR from Yang Jiefang, and they quickly brought Gao Shuxun back to life. As soon as Gao Shuxun opened his eyes, he heard a buzzing sound, and a group of planes flew overhead.

Gao Li glanced up at the returning planes overhead and said, "The Air Force has finished their work too. They can't capture prisoners, so we have to take their place. Brothers, hand the prisoners over to the troops behind us and keep chasing!"

Yang Jiefang's plan was to use Shi Yousan as a sparring partner to test the troops' training results. Following this strategy, the Air Force's First Flight Group, with over two hundred aircraft, participated in the operation. Even if the enemy had no air force or fighter jets, the PLA's fighter squadrons would provide cover throughout the entire operation. They first transferred to the air force base in Liaocheng. On the morning of the 30th, orders were issued, and Hou Fei personally piloted a fighter jet into the air. After completing formation in the air, he flew towards Huaxian County.

Hou Fei and his men ignored Gao Shuxun's troops, as Bai Lang was more than capable of handling them. They advanced westward along the Daoqing Railway and discovered the trail of Shi Yousan's large force in a place called Wangzhuang. The army of over 20,000 men, in dense formation, was heading towards Huaxian. When they saw the densely packed planes in the sky, they were all dumbfounded, staring blankly at the heavens.

Hou Fei showed no mercy, ordering the fighter jets to spread out to the flanks, making room for the aircraft behind. Then, ground attack aircraft led the way, followed by bombers, launching an attack on the enemy below. This wasn't intimidation; it was real combat. Each ground attack aircraft was loaded with four 100-kilogram bombs. Operating in squadrons, they swooped down in succession, each dropping two bombs in the first volley. Such heavy bombs obliterated large areas with a single strike, leaving soldiers in the center completely destroyed. The bombers behind carried four 250-kilogram bombs, their destructive power even more terrifying.

When Shi Yousan saw the planes, he knew things were going badly. He knew Yang Jiefang had planes, but he hadn't expected him to have so many, or to send so many. How could he fight so many planes? Shi Yousan was completely helpless. He immediately sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek for help.

Chiang Kai-shek was on his way from Wuhan to Xuchang. He was also shocked by Shi Yousan's telegram! This was outrageous! The Nationalist government didn't even have that many combat aircraft, how could they possibly suppress these warlords? After a moment's hesitation, he immediately sent a telegram to Zhengzhou, ordering planes there to take off quickly and investigate in northern Henan.

As the bombs rained down, the soldiers below immediately panicked, running in all directions in a frenzy, trying to avoid the bombs from the sky. Although Yang Jiefang wanted to train his troops, he had limitations: each plane could only drop one volley of bombs. This was a civil war; achieving the strategic objective was enough, there was no need to kill everyone. After the first volley of bombs was completed, the bombers turned in the air, regrouped, and flew back to Liaocheng first under the cover of two fighter squadrons. The remaining planes stayed behind, circling in the sky. Once they detected any signs of the troops regrouping, ground attack aircraft would swoop down, not dropping bombs, but strafing with machine guns.

In this situation, how could Shi Yousan dare to assemble his troops? They all sought cover and hid. They were like chicks without a mother hen's protection, and the planes overhead were like a flock of hungry eagles, ready to swoop down and kill them at any moment. Some clever soldiers, taking advantage of their officers' inattention, quietly slipped away. This quickly triggered a chain reaction, with more and more soldiers deserting. As long as they didn't gather in groups, the planes ignored them.

After a brief stalemate, several black dots appeared on the distant horizon—six aircraft were approaching. Judging from the flags on the planes, they were undoubtedly from the Nationalist government. The People's Liberation Army planes displayed the August 1st Army Flag. Hou Fei, who was looking for planes to practice with, immediately summoned a squadron of fighters to meet them. The six planes were merely there to confirm the accuracy of the intelligence; they had no intention of engaging in combat. Seeing eighteen planes approaching in combat formation, they immediately understood their predicament and turned back.

Hou Fei wasn't going to let them off easily, and he gave chase in his plane. These old men from Qinglongzhai had never taken Chiang Kai-shek seriously. They all hoped Yang Jiefang would take his place as soon as possible.

The two planes were about the same speed. The other plane was determined to escape. Hou Fei chased for a while but failed to catch up. He turned back after reaching the Yellow River.

At this time, Gao Shuxun's troops had already collapsed and were being chased around by the Second Brigade. Shi Yousan dared not assemble his forces under aerial surveillance, and his troops were also rapidly fleeing.

Hou Fei estimated that the aircraft's exhaust oil was almost used up before regrouping and returning to Liaocheng Air Force Airport.

Only then did Shi Yousan have the opportunity to regroup his troops. Before he could complete the regrouping, the defeated soldiers from Huaxian also fled there. Upon learning of the defeat at the front, Shi Yousan knew the situation was hopeless and had no choice but to retreat towards Xinxiang. The Second Brigade was still clearing the battlefield and capturing prisoners, and did not pursue with full force. This gave Shi Yousan the opportunity to retreat to Xinxiang. However, by this time, only about ten thousand men remained of the tens of thousands of his original army.

Shi Yousan sent another telegram to Chiang Kai-shek requesting assistance, but received no response. The next morning, disregarding whether Chiang had replied, he led his troops in a retreat towards Zhengzhou. News soon arrived from the vanguard that they had encountered resistance from the People's Liberation Army and their route to Zhengzhou had been cut off.

While the battle raged in Huaxian, Sun Zhiyong's First Brigade advanced westward along the north bank of the Yellow River, cutting off the Pinghan Railway. This not only blocked any reinforcements Chiang Kai-shek might send, but also cut off Shi Yousan's retreat route. Just as Shi Yousan was about to retreat south, Sun Zhiyong launched an attack on the outskirts of Xinxiang.

Unable to resist, Shi Yousan had no choice but to retreat westward. Sun Zhiyong pursued him relentlessly. Shi Yousan abandoned all his supplies, temporarily escaping Sun Zhiyong's pursuit and successfully fleeing to Jiaozuo. Along the way, desertion was rampant; by the time he reached Jiaozuo, his forces numbered less than 4000. This was his last remaining strength, and he dared not suffer any more losses. With Chiang Kai-shek no longer a reliable source of support, Shi Yousan telegraphed Feng Yuxiang for assistance, expressing his willingness to surrender with his troops.

At this time, Feng Yuxiang was under house arrest in Shanxi by Yan Xishan. On the surface, the two were like brothers, but in reality, each harbored their own ulterior motives. Feng Yuxiang's every move was under Yan Xishan's surveillance. When they saw Shi Yousan's telegram pleading for help, their reactions differed. Feng Yuxiang immediately telegraphed Yang Jiefang, first praising Yang Jiefang's profound understanding of righteousness; then saying that Shi Yousan had repented and his past transgressions could be forgiven; finally, he requested Yang Jiefang to send troops south to capture Zhengzhou.

Yan Xishan immediately deployed heavy troops to defend Tianjing Pass. Located at the southernmost tip of the Taihang Mountains, Tianjing Pass is one of the eight strategic passes of Taihang and has been a vital military location between Shanxi and Henan provinces since ancient times. He telegraphed the troops guarding the pass, ordering them to keep Shi Yousan's forces outside the pass and to prevent the People's Liberation Army from entering. He also ordered Xu Yongchang, the chairman of Hebei Province, to actively mobilize troops to prevent the PLA from advancing north.

Yang Jiefang naturally ignored Feng Yuxiang's telegram. In order to annihilate Shi Yousan's forces as quickly as possible, he ordered the First Brigade to continue the pursuit and also dispatched air force units again. At dawn on November 3rd, Hou Fei led the First Air Group into the air again. The planes flew west along the Daoqing Railway to the airspace above Jiaozuo. At this time, Shi Yousan's troops arrived at Tianjing Pass, where they were blocked by the garrison and unable to advance or retreat.

Hou Fei led his air force over Shi Yousan's troops, circling once over Tianjing Pass. He didn't order a bombing, merely intending to intimidate Yan Xishan. Just as he circled and turned back, he unexpectedly spotted Shi Yousan. Shi Yousan and his high-ranking officers were all dressed in general's uniforms, their attire different from that of ordinary soldiers. Several men with him carried telegraph machines, and the armed personnel around him didn't carry rifles, but instead had Mauser pistols tucked into their belts—these features made him easily identifiable.

Hou Fei immediately guided a squadron of ground attack aircraft to launch an attack. Eighteen aircraft swooped down and dropped 36 100-kilogram bombs. Within a radius of several hundred meters centered on Shi Yousan, the entire earth was upside down. In this area, not only were there no survivors, but not even a complete corpse could be found.

After the First Brigade's pursuers arrived, Shi Yousan's remaining troops had nowhere to escape and had no choice but to surrender. The Jin army at Tianjing Pass witnessed everything that happened at the pass, but dared not show their faces. Seeing that the situation was settled, Hou Fei led his planes back to base. When the First Brigade was clearing the bombing site, they could only determine that Shi Yousan was within the bombing range by some scattered fragments of objects. With so much broken bones and mangled flesh scattered all over the ground, it was impossible to determine which piece belonged to Shi Yousan.

The Battle of Northern Henan thus came to an end. Yang Jiefang immediately sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, claiming that after several days of fierce fighting, he had annihilated the troops of Shi Yousan, who had defected to Feng Yuxiang; in order to heal the wounds of the war as soon as possible and restore the livelihood of the people in Northern Henan, Shandong would send some officials to Northern Henan to act as administrative officials.

At this time, Chiang Kai-shek was holding a war conference in Xuchang. His reaction to the telegram is unknown. He replied with a telegram praising Yang Jiefang. Then, he ordered Yang Jiefang to dispatch air force units to Zhengzhou to participate in the next phase of the operation against Feng Yuxiang. He only mentioned the air force, omitting the army; his purpose was obvious.

Yang Jiefang showed the telegram to Ye Ting and Qu Tongfeng, asking, "What do you think?" Ye Ting suggested, "Sending only the air force is definitely not enough. Those planes will likely never return. We might as well take this opportunity to request that the First Brigade be dispatched south to Zhengzhou!" Qu Tongfeng agreed, saying, "Now that we have occupied northern Henan, Zhengzhou will be a strategic foothold for future southward and westward advances. Even if we can't completely control it, we must plant a sap in it." Sometimes it's like that; when your strength reaches a certain level, even if you don't want to progress, your subordinates will force you to move forward.

Since everyone agreed, Yang Jiefang immediately telegraphed Chiang Kai-shek, requesting that ground support troops be dispatched to Zhengzhou at the same time, citing the need for ground support services from the Air Force. Chiang Kai-shek, however, did not reply to this telegram.

Yang Jiefang didn't care and ordered the First and Second Brigades to garrison the northern Henan region and build an air force base in Xinxiang. The cavalry brigade was stationed along the Anyang-Daming line to guard against the Jin army.