When he first came to Xijian, Zhou Weihan felt the majesty of the thousand-year-old ancient capital, and the mottled city walls pointed to the glorious past.
Compared with Peiping, Xijian shows a different cultural color. With the fall of large areas of the country, Xijian's status is increasing day by day, and it has gradually become a political and military center in the northwest region.
"Shopkeeper, four bowls of mutton steamed buns!" the brigade commander shouted loudly: "When you come to Xijian, you have to try the mutton steamed buns here. Today you eat with open belly, I treat you!"
When the monk heard this, he swallowed his foam and grinned: "Chief, I won't be polite!"
"You're very welcome!" The brigade commander said and glanced at the two followers hiding at the door.
After the brigade commander and Zhou Weihan arrived in Xi'an as advance personnel, the negotiations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party did not go smoothly as imagined, and the two sides continued to argue.
After the brigade commander came into contact with his old classmate Hu Zongnan, he didn't seem to be in a hurry. Instead, he took Zhou Weihan and others to wander around Xijian City in his spare time, and naturally there were people following behind him.
"Brigadier, you are so generous today!" Zhou Weihan joked.
While talking, the waiter brought four bowls of hot mutton steamed buns on a tray: "Your Majesty, please!"
The brigade commander pointed to the two military special agents who were looking into the shop at the door, and said to the waiter: "You see those two people, please invite them in, and each will serve a bowl of mutton steamed buns, and charge them to my account!"
"
The waiter turned around and invited the two military special agents in. The older one politely took off his hat and nodded to Zhou Weihan and others.
"Team leader, when did these Eighth Route Army soldiers discover us?"
"You are not only clumsy with your hands and feet, but also with a stupid mind. It's not easy for those of us working in the field. If we were in enemy-occupied territory, we might be sacked tonight!"
"Have you seen that man with glasses? Despite his kind-hearted intentions, his tactics are very dark. When he was the leader in Shanghai, you were still wearing crotchless pants at home. In terms of seniority, he was your senior. Back then, the Secret Service did not
Young people and old people all fell into his hands!"
The team leader had a sad expression on his face, thinking that he couldn't let this silly boy break the rules.
At the same time, Zhou Weihan and others sitting opposite were eating and chatting.
"Xijian is a good place, but it can easily kill people. This is the case with the military commander, and the same is true with a group of military and political officials. They only want to maintain their status and have no ambition to make progress. They only focus on the one-third of an acre of land in front of them!"
"This joint meeting is nothing more than cutting flesh on Hu Zongnan's body. I'm afraid it will take three to two months. What's in front of us is just an appetizer!"
"It's just that the current movements of the Japanese army are unclear. The main force of the Chinese army has withdrawn to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia border area. If the stalemate continues, it may give the Japanese army an opportunity to take advantage of it!" the brigade commander said worriedly.
Let’s not mention Hu Zhongnan’s military talent for the moment, but he is definitely a good at figuring out what is going on. If the joint talks go smoothly, Hu Zhongnan will have no merit or fault. But if the Eighth Route Army is allowed to eat more and occupy more in the process, then it will definitely be a problem for the old man.
Bigger than one piece.
Beishan and Qinling roughly divide Shaanxi Province into three regions. To the north is the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia base area in northern Shaanxi, where the Loess Plateau is located with barren land, scarce resources, and sparsely populated areas.
The Guanzhongping Principle occupied by the Central Army is exactly the opposite. It includes Xijian, Weinan, Xianyang, Baoji, Tongchuan and other places. It is the essence of the entire Sanqin land and even the northwest region. Hu Zongnan regards it as the foundation and will never allow others to get involved.
As for the southern Shaanxi region south of the Qinling Mountains, due to the obstacles of the Qinling Mountains, it is more closely connected with the Sichuan and Shu regions.
"Judging from the strength of the national army deployed along the Yellow River, it is possible for the Japanese army to cross the Yellow River if they concentrate their forces to attack them unprepared. However, it is not easy for the Japanese army to mobilize its forces on a large scale in North China!"
"If only two or three regiments participate in the war, even if they successfully set foot on the land of Shaanxi Province, they will not be able to pose a threat to the Central Army and may even be in danger of destruction. If we mobilize troops in the form of divisions, it will be easier for us!
Zhou Weihan said with a smile.
"You are really good at planning!" The brigade commander shook his head.
Although the Japanese army showed decline in North China, it was still like a big net wrapping the entire North China, but this net was now in tatters.
Zhou Weihan's meaning was very clear. If the Japanese army used Yuncheng as its advance base and increased its troops along the Yellow River, it would inevitably greatly reduce the pressure on the various Eighth Route Army bases operating on the front line. At the same time, it would also prompt talks between the two sides to reach a conclusion soon.
Both the French and Communist parties understood this prophetic idea, but they could not put it clearly on the negotiating table, or it could be that the Central Army was emboldened and did not take the Japanese army seriously.
Generally speaking, the Eighth Route Army had the advantage at the negotiation table, while the National Army had to bear the pressure from both public opinion and the Japanese army.
Just as he was talking, a rapid siren suddenly sounded on the street, and the crowd in the shop suddenly became panicked.
"The plane is coming again, old and young men!" the shopkeeper shouted loudly, directing the crowd to evacuate.
The two military commanders on the opposite side came over in a few steps. The leader said: "Two officers, I am the commander of the military commander's west station. I have been ordered to protect the safety of the two officers. The Japanese plane is coming soon. Please follow me!"
"
When Zhou Weihan came to the street, he saw the crowd of Ulala running towards the west. They were led by military special agents and walked against the crowd.
"Why don't these people hide and instead run into the streets?"
"Sir, follow closely, don't be scattered by the crowd!" The older man led the way, while the younger ones protected behind.
Everyone walked to a nearby residential house in a small alley. The master bedroom led to a small underground air-raid shelter. Zhou Weihan looked at the layout inside and understood that this was taking them to a safe house.
"Sir, please rest assured that the walls of the air-raid shelter here have been reinforced with steel. It is much safer than public air-raid shelters!"
"We are not familiar with Xiyuan, but fortunately you brought us here!" The brigade commander smiled: "I remember that the Japanese army did not send planes to bomb Xiyuan for a long time."
"It's strange to say that since the Chinese New Year, Japanese planes haven't been here for half a year, and I didn't know they hit them today!"
"Although the Japanese army bombed Xipan many times, the local people have already experienced that few people go to public air-raid shelters, and more people seek refuge in the four city walls!"
Since the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Xiyuan has been a city heavily bombed by the Japanese army. Many important buildings in the city have air-raid shelters. However, during bombing, Japanese spies in the city often provide guidance.
Ancient buildings in the bustling commercial district were key targets for Japanese bombing. The entrance to the Wuyue Temple Gate air-raid shelter where the Tianshui camp was once located was blown up, and many people, including camp director Cheng Qian, were injured.
What is even more tragic is that the entrance to the underground air raid shelter at Qiaozikou was blown down, and more than a thousand people were suffocated to death in the cave. This is why people are more willing to take refuge at the city wall.
Zhou Weihan heard this and looked at each other with the brigade commander. I am afraid that the Japanese bombing of Xiba was not accidental, but was done deliberately based on the right opportunity.
