Chapter 417: Five divisions go north to take over Changzhi
October 22, 1940.
After yesterday's negotiation, the three finally reached an agreement that the 40th Army and the New 5th Army would each send one division to coordinate the 27th Army's march north.
In terms of specific arrangements, the 45th Division of the 27th Army, the 8th Preliminary Division and the military headquarters continue to move north from Gaoping. The other way is with the 46th Division of the 27th Army as the vanguard, and the 46th Division of the 40th Army.
The 106th Division and the temporary Fifth Division of the New Fifth Army followed closely behind.
Fan Hanjie launched such a large-scale battle not because he wanted to fight against the Eighth Route Army. The various units of the Eighth Route Army were clinging to the Japanese army to buy time for the national army in Zhongtiao Mountain. Although Jiang regarded the Eighth Route Army as a serious problem, at this time
Absolutely not so unwise.
As a close confidant of Jiang, Fan Hanjie would of course understand what was going on. At this time, taking over Changzhi City was the top priority.
The words are divided into two parts.
Zhou Weihan was also an accomplished artist and a bold man. Today, Changzhi City’s regiment and battalion and the team directly under the regiment are stationed here. The other two battalions are still working in the suburbs of Changzhi to cooperate with local comrades in side jobs.
The artillery battalion is stationed in the suburbs outside the city, and the cavalry regiment is still distributed in the south of Changzhi for scattered security.
The Second Regiment, as well as the huge transportation and prisoner teams, all met with the guard company led by Zhou Weiguo and Pingshun local armed forces in Pingshun.
Within the headquarters, Zhou Weihan first received a telegram from the Cavalry Regiment, and then the Fourth Regiment at Changzhi Airport also sent a telegram.
The scouts who dispersed from the two regiments coincidentally encountered the marching Chinese Army troops.
"Look, as soon as the battle south of Changzhi ended, Fan Hanjie couldn't help it anymore. I guess Chiang Kai-shek was also urging him hard!" Zhou Weihan couldn't help complaining.
"There are quite a lot of national troops coming to Changzhi this time. The east and west armies are advancing together. It seems that the New Fifth Army and the Forty Army have also joined in. Fan Hanjie really takes us seriously!" Xing Zhiguo laughed.
He said.
It stands to reason that when the national army is pressing down on the border, even if the war does not start lightly, Zhou Weihan will be under a lot of pressure.
However, Zhou Weihan didn't take it seriously at this time. All the people left in the city were mobile personnel who could evacuate at any time. What was left to Fan Hanjie was just an "empty city".
"Jing Dagang, what's going on with Zhao Wenjiang?"
"This morning, Jing Dagang sent a telegram, saying that the land was sold for about an acre. All of the land sold was top-grade land, priced at 35 silver dollars per acre. Since the food was difficult to carry, all the land was replaced by cash. This is how it is in my hands.
There is still a backlog of nearly 10,000 acres!" Xing Zhiguohui reported.
“It’s a good price to be able to sell ripe land. Now is the time of war, a lot of land is deserted, and the land is not valuable!”
"Inform Jing Dagang and the others that no matter how many fields are sold before noon today, people from all over the place must gather in Changzhi."
In the 30th year of the Republic of China, the Bureau of Statistics of the National Government published the book "Statistical Analysis of China's Land Issues". The first section of Chapter 6 of the book lists the average land prices in every province in the country, which are all converted into oceans. Each mu of land in your province
Less than one yuan per mu of land in Gan Province, less than ten yuan per mu in Henan Province, and Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang and other regions have the highest average land prices, only fifty yuan per mu.
It can be seen that low land prices have become a common phenomenon in that era.
By noon, all members of the regiment had gathered in the city, and Zhu Dashan's cavalry regiment also arrived in Changzhi.
"Old Xing, you take the first group to evacuate first, go to Changzhi Airport to meet up with the fourth group, and then evacuate to Pingshun together!" Zhou Weihan ordered.
"You don't want to withdraw? You never said you would stay here!" Xing Zhiguo was surprised.
"Hey, the handover of Changzhi City is after all a major event agreed upon by both parties. Someone must be present, right? I'll stay with the cavalry regiment, and they might arrive in Pingshun before you do!"
"But, you"
"Nothing to worry about, time waits for no one, so let's do it!" Zhou Weihan said without refusal.
It's about three o'clock in the afternoon.
Since the 45th Division and the Pre-8th Division led by Fan Hanjie set off from Gaoping, which was a straight line distance from Changzhi, they arrived earlier than the National Army troops on the east route.
"Detachment leader, the 1st Cavalry Company has met the 259th Regiment of the 45th Division, the leading force of the National Army, less than ten miles away from the south gate of Changzhi!" Zhu Dashan urgently reported the situation to Zhou Weihan.
Zhou Weihan pondered for a moment, and immediately ordered the cavalry regiment to assemble at the south gate except for those who were left to guard the four city gates.
Soon after, dust and smoke were seen billowing from the south, and a cavalry company showed its traces first, followed by a group of cavalry from the national army.
"Captain of the detachment, behind us are the guards of the commander of the 27th Army, and Fan Hanjie is among them!" Chen Jiandonghui, commander of the first cavalry company, reported.
Zhou Weihan looked around and saw his guards stopped two or three miles away from the city gate, obviously on guard.
"Let's go up and have a look!" After Zhou Weihan said this, he clamped his horse's belly and shouted to everyone to gallop away in the direction of the 27th Army Guards.
When the distance between the two sides was more than thirty meters, Zhou Weihan stopped his horse and shouted to the opposite side: "The opposite side is Commander Fan of the 27th Army!"
"Haha, it's Fan. Brother Zhou is so courageous. He dared to come to our army formation with more than a dozen guards!" Fan Hanjie on the opposite side laughed and responded.
"Commander Fan is a famous general in the Northern Expedition. I don't dare to call him brother!" Zhou Weihan waved his hand.
Fan Hanjie is 44 years old this year, and Zhou Weihan is 26. In this era of early marriage, they are both old enough to be Zhou Weihan's father.
No matter how the guards on both sides confronted each other, the two seemed to act as if they had not seen each other. Instead, they dismounted and shook hands.
"I have always regarded Mr. Zhuo Yuan as my elder. Based on this, it is only appropriate for me to call you Brother Zhou!" Fan Hanjie said, holding Zhou Weihan's hand.
Seeing that Zhou Weihan did not speak, Fan Hanjie did not feel embarrassed and continued: "This is Liu Jin, deputy commander of our 27th Army, and Chen Sunong, commander of the 8th Preliminary Division!"
Zhou Weihan nodded, but in his heart he didn't want to get entangled too much, so he said directly: "Commander Fan, your army has traveled a long way to reach Changzhi. It's already getting late. It's better to take over the city defense works in Changzhi as soon as possible. I won't waste any time!"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "That's okay, that's okay! I'm busy with things right now, and I'm inviting Brother Zhou to a banquet in Changzhi in a while, and I'll treat you well then!"
"Fan Hanjiepi said with a smile.
"Then I'll take my leave!"
No matter what they were thinking in their hearts, the few people present did a good job in appearance.
Then Zhou Weihan did not waste any time, and signaled the accompanying soldiers to notify the remaining personnel at the four city gates, and then rode away.
Looking at Zhou Weihan's retreating figure, Fan Hanjie couldn't help but ask: "What do you think of this person?"
"Everyone in the Zhou family is young and promising. Compared with Zhou Weihan, we all look old. At the age of twenty-six, I just graduated from Huangpu, but Zhou Weihan is alone in the Eighth Route Army!"
Chen Sunong, who is in his forties, said with emotion.
"Just now, he seemed to be okay on the surface, but there was a sense of alienation in his words. I'm afraid this person is affiliated with the Eighth Route Army!" Deputy Army Commander Liu Jin on the side said.
The 27th Army first moved the 259th Regiment into Changzhi City to garrison, while the military headquarters and other troops stayed outside the city.
Not long after, a Chinese soldier came out of the city and reported: "Military seat, the Eighth Route Army has moved away all the factories in the city. Even the tables, chairs, benches, pots and pans in the Japanese headquarters are not left behind!"
Fan Hanjie's face visibly darkened after hearing this, and he immediately cursed: "He has the same virtue as his mother-in-law Zhou Weiguo. He looks like a man of five or six on the surface, but in fact he is very evil at heart. Go to the city!"
Zhou Weihan's eldest brother Zhou Weiguo and Fan Hanjie both belonged to the Hu Zongnan faction. Fan Hanjie had previously wanted to compete with Zhou Weiguo for the position of commander of the First Army, but unfortunately he was defeated in the end.
