The Flames of Resistance Against Japan in Jiangnan

Xu Wenqing rode up to the prisoners and said in a mocking tone:

"You lot are really not being fair! I've come all this way to pay my respects, and you've all hidden yourselves away to avoid me!"

A Zhejiang Army officer glared fiercely at Xu Wenqing and hissed:

"I am Guo Dehong, the regimental commander of the 170th Regiment of the 44th Division of the Fourth Army Group. You actually captured me. Do with me as you please!"

"I don't want to kill you now, I just want you to go back and tell your chairman a thing."

Xu Wenqing cracked his whip, staring intently into the other man's eyes:

"Please tell your Chairman that we are the 10th Army Corps of the Central Red Army, and we have returned to avenge the defeat at Tanjiaqiao!"

Releasing a group of Zhejiang army prisoners whom they thought were surely doomed, Xu Wenqing spurred his horse and led the 19th Red Army Division towards Wenzhou!

On the highway north of Wenzhou, a long line snaked forward under the night sky—this was the 19th Red Army Division, carrying torches and marching hastily towards Wenzhou. Xu Wenqing took out his pocket watch to check the time, then turned to ask the local guide beside him how much further. The guide glanced at the features of the villages along the roadside and said:

"It's about twenty miles away."

Xu Wenqing considered it for a moment, then gave the order directly:

"Order the troops to halt their advance, rest in place for an hour, and then continue their operation."

Xu Wenqing rode his horse to the riverbank and stopped to gaze at the city of Wenzhou under the moonlight.

"I hope the Red Army can rise from the ashes like a phoenix, reborn from the ashes."

Xu Wenqing prayed silently in his heart.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats echoed on the road, growing ever closer. A voice shouted:

"I'm from the Special Service Company of the 55th Regiment. Can someone tell me where the division commander is?"

“I know him. His name is Zhao Xiaotian. The division commander is behind him.”

A soldier who was resting recognized the newcomer. His horse stopped in front of Xu Wenqing, and a Red Army soldier dismounted and ran over to salute.

"Reporting to the division commander, I am Zhao Xiaotian, the platoon leader of the second platoon of the special service company of the 55th Regiment. I have been ordered to come and report on the situation in Wenzhou."

"Zhao Xiaotian, I know you. You've worked hard. Have you taken Wenzhou yet?"

Xu Wenqing was eager to know how the 55th Regiment's raid on Wenzhou was going.

Zhao Xiaotian beamed and quickly replied:

"The entire prefecture is now completely under the control of our 55th Regiment. We have captured over a thousand local security troops and over three hundred Zhejiang soldiers, and we have also rescued nine captured comrades!"

"What? There are also captured underground party members!"

Xu Wenqing was shocked when he heard this. He knew that the enemy was very treacherous. When the Long March began, in order to deal with the Red Army, in addition to the scorched earth policy, they also used even more ruthless tactics. They appointed military officers to serve as mayors of many remote border counties and prefectures that were previously difficult to control, and implemented military management to strengthen military control.

Chiang Kai-shek appointed Yu Shixi, a military man, as acting mayor of Wenzhou and commander of the security forces, and Jiang Dingxin, also a military man, as deputy commander of the security forces. Upon assuming office, Yu Shixi immediately appointed Jiang Yusun as commander of the first battalion of the Wenzhou Security Regiment and Liu Mou as commander of the second battalion. The necessary ammunition was to be requisitioned by the district and township offices from wealthy households; any shortages were to be requested from headquarters.

Yu Shixi also sent out propaganda teams to spread the word that the Red Army "killed, burned, looted, and committed all sorts of evil deeds, including sharing wives and property," portraying the revolutionary army as utterly worthless and even somewhat monstrous.

The Zhejiang Army's "anti-communist and anti-communist" propaganda permeated urban and rural areas, penetrating every corner of eastern Zhejiang Province, especially in the mountainous regions of northern Zhejiang, where Miao, She, and other ethnic minorities lived together. The Zhejiang Army specifically established security committees dedicated to anti-communist propaganda. Under militarized control, various counties in northern Zhejiang promulgated a series of reward measures for "anti-communist and anti-communist" efforts.

Anyone who captures a gun from a Red Army guerrilla unit will be rewarded with two silver dollars.

The reward for killing a Red Army soldier or guerrilla is four silver dollars.

Whoever captures a Red Army soldier and his guerrillas alive will be rewarded with eight silver dollars.

Xu Wenqing knew the importance of Wenzhou to eastern Zhejiang. Although not as important as Hangzhou and Ningbo, it was still very important. Xu Wenqing planned to make Old Gu experience the sorrow of losing a strategically important city.

Located at the southern tip of the coastal region of eastern Zhejiang, Wenzhou is strategically important due to its strategic location. Its terrain, nestled between mountains and water, makes it easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a crucial stronghold that has been contested by military strategists throughout history.

Xu Wenqing decided to spread the news of Wenzhou's occupation by the Red Army as soon as possible, letting Gu Zhutong know. He estimated that Gu Zhutong would quickly withdraw the divisions pursuing the main force of the Red Army to try to retake Wenzhou. This would greatly reduce the burden on the main force of the Red Army.

After making up his mind, Xu Wenqing immediately ordered the 19th Division of the Red Army to set off immediately, speeding up their advance and heading straight for Wenzhou City.

Under the dim moonlight, there was no sound in the rapidly marching column, only the panting of the soldiers. The river near the road flowed calmly, but the exhausted Red Army soldiers were like a raging torrent. At this moment, they had only one thought in their minds—to quicken their pace!

On the way, Xu Wenqing listened as Zhao Xiaotian, who was riding alongside him, reported on the 3rd Battalion of the 55th Regiment's capture of the city:

This morning at eight o'clock, the 3rd Battalion of the 55th Regiment disguised themselves as Central Army soldiers and entered Wenzhou. Battalion Commander Ding ordered three hundred men from our battalion to wear the uniforms of the Central Army Supervisory Corps that we had captured last time, with captured armored belts around their waists. They carried newly captured Mauser rifles and light machine guns on their shoulders. Artillery was also towed behind the vehicles. Wu Daogui, from eastern Zhejiang, impersonated an officer, riding a tall horse, carrying a pistol, and wearing captured binoculars on his chest.

On their way to Wenzhou, they saw no security troops setting up roadblocks or conducting inspections; the 3rd Battalion of the 55th Regiment drove directly to the city gates of Wenzhou. Behind the roadblocks stood several security troops, guns drawn, blocking the 3rd Battalion's ranks. A junior officer stepped forward and questioned them:

"I am the company commander of the 7th Company, 3rd Battalion, Wenzhou Security Regiment. May I ask which unit you belong to?"

Wu Daogui, dressed as a battalion commander from the Central Army, walked up and said with a furious expression:

"We are from the 25th Division of the Central Army, here to receive and escort the grain and military pay prepared by your municipal government!"

The security regiment company commander hurriedly bowed and said:

"Sir, we haven't received any orders and we don't know the specifics. I'll go report to you immediately."

Seeing the security regiment company commander turn to enter the city, Wu Daogui shouted to him:

"Move the roadblocks aside and let us into the city first! The brothers need to rest."

The junior officer of the security force said with difficulty:

Sir, the mayor has ordered that no one is allowed to enter the city without his permission.

Wu Daogui stepped forward and slapped the officer across the face, making him stagger and mutter curses.

"Damn it, we're ordered to escort supplies and military pay. If we fail to do so by the deadline, we'll be court-martialed. You bastards dare to delay us! Tell your mayor to hurry up and get things ready!"