At around eight o'clock that night, the lights on Yama Mountain were still bright.
Zhao Gang and his guards were waiting at the foot of the mountain for Zhou Weihan to return with his large army.
"Political commissar, why haven't they arrived yet?" the guard asked.
Zhao Gang looked at his watch and said, "It should be here soon. Why don't you go take a look at the mountain to see how the food is being prepared?"
"Political Commissar, you are alone..."
"It's okay. What can happen at the door of your home?"
...
"Old Zhao, you miss me so much!" Zhou Weihan shouted loudly when he saw Zhao Gang waiting at the foot of the mountain from afar.
The two hugged each other tightly: "There is no better place than at home!"
Before leaving the base area, the independent battalion and the guard company of the independent brigade, which was not considered Li's most powerful force, had a combined strength of just over 1,000. The number of people returning to the base area this time had doubled to more than 2,500.
According to the previously communicated deployment, the first battalion returned to its previous station, and the reserve battalion and supplementary battalion were stationed in several villages at the foot of the mountain that Zhao Gang had deployed in advance.
The guard company, reconnaissance company, repair shop, medical clinic and wounded soldiers were stationed on the mountain with the regiment headquarters.
On the dinner table.
"Old Zhou, you are back, and I have someone to discuss some things with!" Zhao Gang complained, placing a glass of poured water in front of Zhou Weihan.
Zhou Weihan took a few bites, put down his chopsticks, and said: "I feel like returning home, but this time it's better and we are together again!"
"Let's get down to business first. How do you plan to deal with the two companies in Jinan?" Zhao Gang said seriously.
"Old Zhao, isn't it just to hand over the landlord's land to the fellow villagers for cultivation? This is a big or small matter, don't hold on to it!" Zhou Weihan advised.
"I don't mean to hold on to it, but after all, this matter was brought up by local comrades. If it is not dealt with, the impact will be bad after all!" Zhao Gang said worriedly.
"Isn't there a meeting tomorrow? Let's meet Comrade Wang Ying then. Lao Zhao, there is no problem that cannot be solved!"
The two companies of the New Second Regiment in southern Hebei were in order to gain a firm foothold in southern Hebei.
The campaign against local tyrants and traitors made rapid progress in the first month after arriving in southern Hebei Province. Many landowners and traitors from the surrounding areas fled to nearby counties.
The autumn harvest was about to begin. According to the clear regulations of the superiors, local comrades were responsible for distributing the land. In the end, there were more than 800 acres of land left, so it became the private land of the New Second Regiment.
In view of the fact that the current task is to fight the enemy, the soldiers cannot take care of the fields. The leading company commander and the instructor discussed renting the land to nearby villagers. They will receive half of the harvest and save the villagers from paying.
Military rations.
Logically speaking, this is a good thing. The common people benefit from it and do not have to pay military rations.
However, there was some violation of the Eighth Route Army's land policy, and he suddenly became a second landowner. As a result, Wang Ying was stabbed by local comrades. Wang Ying told Zhao Gang, and Zhao Gang hurriedly called Zhou Weihan back.
The next day, the meeting of the new second group was held on time.
Attending the meeting were the battalion commanders and instructors of the four infantry battalions, the artillery battalion commander Chen Feng, the independent brigade Li Daben, local representative Wang Ying, and He Wensheng, who was to become the chief of the enemy engineering unit of the new second regiment.
Seeing everyone arriving, Zhou Weihan cleared his throat and said, "Everyone is here, let's get to know each other."
"After study and decision by the regiment organization, superiors have approved that the original preparatory battalion of the new second regiment will be designated as the fourth battalion of the new second regiment. The battalion commander Wang Yigong, instructor Gao Zhiheng, and subordinate company commanders and instructors will not be changed."
"Wang Yigong!"
"Gao Zhiheng!"
Wang Yigong and Gao Zhiheng stood up and saluted everyone present.
"In view of the large number of people in the fourth battalion, the fifth company was transferred out and replenished to the supplementary battalion!" Zhou Weihan continued.
Wang Yigong wanted to say something else, but Gao Zhiheng stopped him: "Commander, as the former commander of the fifth company, I have no objection. I will do a good job in the ideological work of the soldiers."
"The troops have been free-range for such a long time. I guess you don't even know how many people there are in each battalion. After the meeting, the battalion commanders and instructors went to the grassroots level to count the number of people and equipment of each battalion!" Zhou Weihan specifically pointed out this point.
Wu Qin and Xu Dali battalions said.
"Yes, leader!"
"The New Second Regiment has established a Political Department and Enemy Affairs Unit, headed by He Wensheng, with five people under his jurisdiction."
Combat units at the regiment level do not have an enemy engineering department, and their level is only an enemy engineering unit, with the unit commander and deputy battalion level.
"Comrade Wen Sheng, let me introduce to you. This is Comrade Wang Ying from the local area. You will be in regular contact in the future."
"This is the responsibility of Li Da of the Independent Brigade. From now on, the two of you must work closely together. Li Da is responsible for the warehouse business and communicating with the Japanese. He Wensheng is responsible for personnel training, intelligence acquisition, etc. The personnel of the Armed Forces Team under the Enemy Engineering Unit will be given priority from the Independent Brigade.
Selection." Zhou Weihan set the tone for the enemy engineering unit.
"Comrade Wen Sheng, you are an old love worker. You will discuss the specific matters with Mr. Li after the meeting. The areas currently involved are Shanxi Central, Shanxi East, Shannan, Jixi, and Jinan. You will give priority to Jinan.
and the western Hebei region, the situation in these two areas is complex, with the enemy and ourselves intertwined, and they will be the focus of future work."
"Okay, that's the specific content. Let's adjourn the meeting without any problem." Zhou Weihan said directly and decisively.
After the meeting, Zhou Weihan, Zhao Gang, and Wang Ying held a small meeting to discuss the issue of southern Hebei.
"Why are you two looking at me like this? Can I not understand the stakes involved? Both the army and the villagers can benefit from this matter. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone. I have no objection in my heart!" Wang Ying said frankly
.
"To be honest, if this matter were to be ignored, I would pretend I didn't see it, but this matter has already hit me. The name of the second landlord is not pleasant!"
Zhou Weihan lit a cigarette, blew out a puff of smoke from his mouth, and his right index finger beat irregularly on the table.
Zhao Gang, who is familiar with Zhou Weihan, knows that Zhou Weihan only behaves like this when he is upset.
"Some of our comrades are just too dogmatic. How can a good thing turn into a bad thing? Seeking truth from facts has always been our principle. Since the people all agree, why should we oppose it?" Zhou Weihan said with a frown.
"We have to look at this matter dialectically. Don't just rent it. Just like our Yamawang Mountain base, the farms, and the fields, don't we all have fellow villagers to help take care of them? Right, Lao Zhao!"
"This is true. There are times when the soldiers in charge of this area are overwhelmed. The villagers are also willing to help. Of course, we don't let the villagers help in vain. We will send some food and eggs from time to time."
"Is this right? To put it bluntly, this is wages, but are we capitalists?" Zhou Weihan said.
"We can put it another way and ask the villagers to help cultivate the fields, but in order to thank the villagers for giving them some food, Lao Wang, is this not too much?"
"Old Zhou, you are very clever with your words." Wang Ying said with a smile.
"I happen to be going to Jinan in the next two days to investigate the specific situation on the spot. If the soldiers force the people to cultivate the fields, they will definitely be severely punished. But if it is really a voluntary situation on both sides, then
Why not do it?"
The three finally reached an agreement.
Zhou Weihan's decision to go to Jinan was not a whim, but a plan based on instructions from the headquarters.
After the situation is ascertained, large forces will gradually set off and march into southern Hebei.