The Flames of Resistance Against Japan in Jiangnan

Cao Wenting paused briefly, then continued:

"Comrades, what is the current situation? The enemy is launching a new offensive, and the Red Army is still in dire straits. If we continue fighting like this, it will be very detrimental to the future development of our army. The troops must move to another place to seek new development. I would like to hear your opinions on where to go!"

"We come from northwestern Anhui, so let's just fight our way back to northwestern Anhui!"

Someone said loudly.

"If you ask me, why not just go to the border region of Hubei and Henan? They've always had a very good grassroots support there!"

Then someone else made a suggestion.

“Most of us come from northeastern Hubei. The Tiantai Mountain and Laojun Mountain areas in northeastern Hubei are old revolutionary base areas. Why don’t we go there to develop our careers?”

Everyone started talking at once, offering their own opinions, and the meeting room became noisy.

Finally, Deputy Political Commissar Fang Shuihua stood up and also said loudly:

"Going north to northwestern Anhui, although it would be returning to the old revolutionary base, would be fraught with difficulties. Breaking through the enemy's encirclement would be extremely challenging. Entering southern Henan, while there is room for development, is a long journey and would also require traversing the enemy's heavy blockade lines, making it equally disadvantageous. I think it would be better for the troops to simply head west along the Pinghan Railway to the Tongbai and Zaoyang areas to search for the main Red Army force. There would still be a glimmer of hope there. If they fail to find the main Red Army force, they can then turn west back to northeastern Hubei!"

Everyone looked at Fang Shuihua with curiosity, and then at Cao Wenting.

Cao Wenting's eyelids twitched. He nodded silently, then stood up and said:

"I think this suggestion is feasible. Does anyone have any other opinions?"

Seeing that Cao Wenting had expressed his opinion, the representatives present did not raise any further objections.

Cao Wenting concluded by adding:

"Since none of the comrades have any other opinions, let's proceed with this plan. Regarding the route westward from the Pinghan Railway, I personally think it would be better to break through the gap between Yingshan and Huanggang. The Fourth Front Army originally took this route. Everyone, go back and prepare separately!"

A few days later, the 28th Red Army left the 246th Regiment of the 82nd Division to continue its operations in southwestern Anhui, while its main force of more than 1,000 men, led by Cao Wenting, suddenly moved westward and quietly set off for the Pinghan Railway.

In early summer, the main force of the 28th Red Army set off from Qianshan, Anhui, and quietly advanced westward, breaking out of the Kuomintang army's encirclement undetected. A few days later, they arrived in the Yingshan area. They continued to travel by day and night, bypassing the enemy's blockade at the border of Yingshan and Huanggang. After more than ten days of arduous trekking and fighting, they finally reached Pengchendian area in western Hong'an County, Hubei Province, where they joined forces with the Northeast Hubei Regional Committee and the Northeast Hubei Independent Regiment, who were fighting there.

At this time, He Yaohua, Xu Hongji, Fang Shuihua, Chen Wendong, Xiong Xianchun, Dong Jianhua and others gathered together again.

Half a year had passed, and the revolutionary struggle situation in Hubei, Henan and Anhui had changed greatly. They seemed to have a lot to say, but didn't know where to begin.

They chatted about everyday things, about their respective situations since they parted ways. He Yaohua also briefly introduced the activities and struggles of the plainclothes teams in northeastern Hubei over the past six months. Cao Wenting listened from the side, and a smile finally appeared on his melancholy face.

He Yaobang, who succeeded Wang Xiaoming as a high-ranking official in the northeastern Hubei region after Wang Xiaoming's sacrifice, had only two special agent battalions with a total of more than 100 people under his command. Including the plainclothes team, the total number of people under his command was only more than 400. However, the plainclothes team was basically scattered and engaged in guerrilla warfare.

After the two teams joined forces, most of the Northeast Hubei Independent Regiment and the First and Second Battalions of the Northeast Hubei District Committee were reorganized into the 28th Red Army to form a new Special Service Battalion. Lin Weixian, the former commander of the 82nd Division and later the Minister of Production, became the new battalion commander.

At that time, the cadres of the 28th Red Army were very young. Cao Wenting, Xu Hongji, Xu Wencai and others were all under 30 years old; Fang Shuihua, Chen Wendong, Lin Weixian, Gu Shiduo, Yu Xiong and others were only 20 years old or under 20 years old. This team led by young people was bold and decisive but lacked rich experience in fighting the enemy. They gradually matured in the long-term battles.

After the Northeast Hubei Independent Regiment was incorporated into the main force of the 28th Red Army for the second time, the Northeast Hubei Regional Committee reorganized the Northeast Hubei Independent Regiment for the third time. The Regional Committee combined the Guangshan Special Service Company, the Luoshan Special Service Company, and several plainclothes teams into a new independent regiment with more than 200 people. Xiong Xianchun continued to serve as the commander of the independent regiment, and Feng Yiwan served as the political commissar. The new independent regiment continued to operate in the mountains and forests of the Hubei-Henan border region, dealing with the enemy.

After the main force of the 28th Red Army joined forces with the Northeast Hubei Regional Committee and the Northeast Hubei Independent Regiment at Pengchendian, it underwent a short period of reorganization and rest. Soon after, it moved westward to Yangpingkou. They were preparing to cross the Pinghan Railway west of Yangpingkou, but when they reached the vicinity of the Pinghan Railway, they were suddenly blocked by the main force of two enemy regiments. The 28th Red Army fought fiercely with the enemy near Yangpingkou for a day and a night. The battle was extremely intense, and both sides suffered casualties. Due to the 28th Red Army's weakness, it was ultimately unable to break through the enemy's blockade. Cao Wenting had to change his original plan to move westward to the Pinghan Railway to find the main force of the Red Army and had to turn back midway to operate in the Luonan area.

A few days later, when the 28th Red Army moved to the Wangjiayuan area of ​​Guangshan, it was blocked by an enemy regiment. The 28th Red Army fought hard to break through the encirclement. After two days of fierce fighting, it annihilated more than 500 enemy soldiers and then moved to the northern part of Macheng.

In the northern part of Macheng, the 28th Red Army was again blocked by two enemy regiments. After a day of fierce fighting, the 28th Red Army broke through the encirclement and annihilated more than 600 enemy soldiers. However, in this breakout battle, the 28th Red Army also suffered more than 200 casualties.

After suffering heavy losses, the 28th Red Army finally dragged its exhausted body back to the Taihu area in southwestern Anhui in early July. It met with the Anhui Western Special Committee and the 246th Regiment that had stayed behind in Dianqianhe, Taihu County.

The arduous two-month campaign, covering thousands of miles and traversing more than ten counties and cities, resulted in heavy sacrifices and constant enemy blockades. However, this campaign also greatly improved the combat experience and skills of the officers and soldiers of the 28th Red Army.

Faced with a powerful enemy, the troops were exhausted and the soldiers were weary. Many new problems confronted Cao Wenting.

For over two months, the soldiers had been constantly on the move and hadn't had a proper rest. As soon as they arrived at the riverbank, some would lie down and fall fast asleep; others, due to prolonged hunger, were pale and emaciated; some soldiers' clothes hadn't been changed for over ten days, and they reeked of a foul odor of sweat. Some of the female soldiers, in particular, were even more exhausted, with blisters on their feet and disheveled hair from the long journey.