The Flames of Resistance Against Japan in Jiangnan

After reading the telegram, he paused for a moment, then trembled. He hurriedly ordered his guard to open the map he had just put away, and took the light from the flashlight handed to him by Captain Wang to find the location mentioned in the telegram.

"Captain Wang, is the telegram reliable?"

Xu Wenqing gestured for the guards to stand guard outside the door and then asked in a low voice.

Captain Wang hesitated for a moment, then answered in a low voice:

"If the Jiangxi army did not change the code, then it is true."

Do you think they can change?

Xu Wenqing stared intently into the other person's eyes and asked again.

After thinking for a while, Captain Wang's tone became more certain:

"If the commander believes me, at least this time it wasn't changed! Because we deciphered it according to the original codebook. If it were a coded message, the sentences wouldn't be so fluent and the meaning so clear!"

"You're my comrade, how could I not believe you!"

Xu Wenqing was certain that Captain Wang was not lying. There were two people responsible for receiving the telegram and the codebook, and besides, he had no reason to fabricate the telegram.

It turned out that after Captain Wang started the radio technology training class, he adopted a method that combined theory and practice. The students learned theory during marches and practiced typing and telegraph operations on the radio while camping. This morning, after Captain Wang finished maintaining the radio, he didn't turn it off. When the trainees were practicing changing channels, they inadvertently received this message. No one paid any attention to it at the time and simply tossed it aside. It wasn't until after dinner, when they were packing to leave, that Captain Wang discovered it, translated it, and realized the importance of this enemy movement. He immediately reported it to Xu Wenqing.

The unexpected situation weighed heavily on Xu Wenqing's mind, and he couldn't make a decision even after thinking about it for a long time.

"Ma Xiaoer, quickly go find the political commissar and tell him there's an urgent matter! Notify all unit commanders to come here for a meeting."

Xu Wenqing could only brainstorm ideas.

The first person to arrive was the director of the political department. As soon as he entered, he eagerly asked:

"Commander, is there any emergency?"

"Take a look at this first!"

Xu Wenqing handed it over casually. The director of the political department took the telegram from Xu Wenqing. After reading it carefully, his face immediately turned ashen, and he asked nervously:

"Is the information true?"

Xu Wenqing nodded and said:

"Confirmed."

After several hours of intense discussion, several decisions were made, and Xu Wenqing announced the order at the end of the meeting:

The troops changed direction and advanced towards western Jiangxi at a rapid marching speed!

At the same time, the cavalry communications platoon was ordered to set off immediately, escorted by a cavalry squadron dispatched by the Special Service Brigade, and the 58th and 59th Regiments were urgently notified to change their plan to meet outside Dongyang City.

Regardless of their location, the 58th Regiment, upon receiving orders, bypassed Dongyang City, passed through Lanxi, entered the territory of Nianzhou Prefecture, and joined forces with the main force of the division headquarters to capture Nianzhou.

The 59th Regiment immediately occupied Lanxi and then waited for the division headquarters to arrive and join them.

In order to ascertain the enemy's movements, the radio communications team will begin today to continuously monitor and capture enemy radio signals, striving to understand their intentions as much as possible.

When the cavalry messenger found the 59th Regiment, Ding Fujiang had already led the main force of the regiment on a journey of more than ten miles. After reading the order, he instructed the troops to stop advancing, quickly organize their weapons, check their ammunition, pack their gear, and await orders to proceed!

"Another war is about to break out!"

The soldiers were buzzing with discussion. Yes, for many, this was their first battle, especially for the new recruits who had missed the Battle of Huangzhou Town; the first time always feels special.

As night deepened, the sudden news of the changed plans weighed heavily on everyone. Inside the temporary command post of the 59th Regiment, the lights were on and people were coming and going. Regiment Commander Ding summoned the battalion and company commanders to discuss the strategy for attacking Leiyang.

"Commander, weren't we supposed to attack Dongyang? Why the sudden change of plans?"

"Just follow orders, don't ask any unnecessary questions!"

Ding Fujiang, also covered in dew, said impatiently:

"Something must have happened. Listen to the commander!"

Chief of Staff Chen Hong proposed the operational plan:

"There are no enemy regular troops in Lanxi County, but the local militias along the way are very annoying. If they block us in scattered groups, it will not only waste time but also expose our position. Should we also disguise ourselves and launch a surprise attack on Leiyang, just like the reconnaissance company captured Qiyang?"

Commander Ding shared the same idea, nodding and saying:

“We have a lot of enemy uniforms here. If we disguise ourselves, the militia won’t notice us and report us, which will help us avoid a hard battle.”

Ma Xianyun considered the matter carefully and felt it wasn't very safe, so he offered the following suggestion:

"Commander, I think that since our troops have been disguising themselves as the enemy for several days now, the enemy may already know about it. If we continue to use this method, there will be a great risk."

Commander Ding gave Ma Xianyun an approving look. "Cultural people are really something. They consider things more comprehensively. They are both brave and resourceful. They are truly talented!"

"We can also use makeup, but we'll have to change the method."

Chief of Staff Chen was no pushover either; he quickly perfected the surprise attack plan, and the group huddled together to quietly discuss their respective roles.

The meeting decided to select four companies from the entire regiment to form an advance team, disguised as the enemy, to launch a surprise attack on Lanxi. Ding Fujiang would personally command the team. The raiding troops were dressed in neat military uniforms, with Regiment Commander Ding disguised as an enemy battalion commander, riding a captured tall horse, carrying a pistol, and wearing imported binoculars. His guards wore captured steel helmets, brand-new armored belts, and each carried a firearm, making a formidable display. The local militia, terrified, gave them a warm welcome along the way, daring not to obstruct them. They marched over a hundred li (approximately 50 kilometers) and quickly advanced towards Lanxi County.

Around noon that day, gunshots suddenly rang out in the distance outside Lanxi City. The guards hurriedly closed the city gates, raised the drawbridge, and lay on the city wall, wondering what had happened.

With the sound of gunfire, a Red Army guerrilla force of sixty or seventy men came into view. The Jinhua Inspectorate had just issued an order regarding bandit activity in the vicinity, requiring the security regiments of all counties to strengthen their defenses. The officers in the know assumed the guerrillas were about to attack the city and hurriedly ordered their men to prepare to open fire.

To their surprise, the Red Army, unsuspecting, fled into the mountains and forests near the county town, firing back as they ran. Hundreds of White Army soldiers followed closely behind, shouting and chasing after them. Before long, they all entered the mountains and forests.

The officers of the security regiment were relieved; it turned out to be a regular army operation to suppress the guerrillas. The gunfire in the mountains grew increasingly intense, indicating that a formal engagement had begun. A junior platoon leader asked his superior obsequiously:

"Company commander, should we help the regular army and get some credit in return?"

"You really won't even know how you died. Do you think Hong Jun is so easy to deal with?"

The security regiment company commander kicked his sycophantic subordinate, sending him staggering.

"As long as they don't attack the county seat, I don't care if they live or die!"

"It would be great if the Red Army really attacked the county town. If you were killed, I would get promoted!"

The platoon leader cursed inwardly, hoping the company commander would suffer a terrible death.