Since the naval battle was uncertain, it was difficult for the Qing Navy to recharge its batteries in Magong Port and dispatch its main battleships. In the past two months, they had mainly fought on the plains. Li Guolou led a hundred Gesheha to set off overnight to the Pingtung Plain to prepare for personal command of the battle.
Plain battles test the true strength of an army through head-to-head combat. The Qing army, built with modern equipment, is not afraid of any enemy.
The Japanese army learned from Western military powers and combined it with the spirit of Bushido to build a modern army. In name, the Japanese army is loyal to the Emperor of Japan. In fact, the real military power is still in the hands of the aristocratic families in the military department.
Although Japan has an emperor and is nominally a country, in fact it has been in a state of feudal separatism for more than a thousand years. The Japanese warlords have been fighting for a long time. They want to live longer in the war years. Their first task is to defend their territory, so the Japanese army is an army that is good at holding on. The Japanese troops who were able to endure hardships and fight to the death without surrendering and hiding in fortifications were a tough nut to crack.
After the Japanese invaded Taiwan, their purpose was very clear: to seize the dangerous eastern land of San Francisco. They did not attack the Taichung Plain. Liu Mingdeng, the commander-in-chief of Taiwan Town, once fought a battle with the Japanese army in the Pingtung Plain and ended in defeat.
Guishan was originally the territory of the Paiwan people. The terrain was difficult to defend and difficult to attack. The Japanese army captured Guishan. After that, Guishan was used as a stronghold to establish the Dudu Mansion and expand colonies abroad.
After the defeat in the First Sea Battle, the Japanese army felt a great military threat and focused on consolidating the captured territory. They built military fortifications and fortresses on Guishan Mountain to prepare for long-term garrisoning.
The Pingtung Plain is the territory of the Beidong people. The Japanese army considered winning the hearts and minds of Taiwan's ethnic minorities and the source of future food. Lieutenant General Xixiang sent four elite troops from Dao. More than 4,000 Japanese troops were stationed in the Pingtung Plain to join forces with the Beidong people to fight against the Qing army.
Invaders and traitors are working together to defend this food-producing area [
With the strong support of other ethnic minorities, the Qing army fought one battle after another with the enemy in the vast Pingtung Plain. The Pingtung Plain became a battlefield and ignited war after war. This was a national war and an anti-invasion campaign. war of justice
In order to undermine the Beidong people's determination to resist, the Qing army did not burn the Beidong people's homes and crops in the farmland from the beginning. The Qing army put forward a loud political slogan: "Resist Luo Xing's tyranny, everyone has their own land, everyone is a free nation, the motherland" The people and the Beidong people are brothers.”
Under the chieftain system, the people under the chieftain were serfs. They had no land. In addition to providing heavy labor and serving as local soldiers, they also had to pay or tribute various kinds of goods to the chieftain. This feudal serfdom was the economic basis of the chieftain system.
The Beidong serfs did not understand their own rights. Li Guolou wanted to instill the ideas of freedom, equality, and patriotism into these serfs to make the Beidong serfs rebel against the Beidong king Luo Xingyi.
Li Guolou was the first to put forward the idea of treating Beidong nobles and Beidong serfs differently. He wanted to fight a war to win the hearts and minds of the people. He wanted 40,000 Beidong serfs to welcome liberation. Finally, the Beidong nobles became mourning dogs and the Beidong chieftains Luo Xingyi became a loner and was spurned by the people.
The Beidong people on the Pingtung Plain fled their homes. They thought it would be a disaster. The Qing army would burn their homes, but their hometown was not burned. There were still people irrigating the abandoned farmland. The Qing army did not retaliate against the betrayed Beidong people. Instead, they treated the Beidong people well and stayed in their hometowns. Beidong elders
Soon the Beidong people divided and disintegrated. Some Beidong people who returned home defected to the Qing Dynasty and broke with the Beidong chieftain Luo Xingyu. The Qing army began to have Beidong people as guides. The Beidong people denounced the chieftain Luo Xingyu who had betrayed the Qing Dynasty. Some people proposed to re-confess a new title. Chieftain, but bloodline is the key. The Beidong nobles who submitted to the Qing Dynasty could not obey the crowd and had to wait for a new chieftain to appear in the Beidong tribe.
The Qing army stationed in the Pingtung Plain and got through the most difficult beginning. Along the way, there were people living with malnourished elderly people. Lively and naughty children appeared in the villages and no longer avoided the Qing army when they saw them passing by.
Captain Arirang led the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentries to fight in the Pingtung Plain. At the beginning, the officers and soldiers did not understand the ethnic policies formulated by Li Guolou. The war was quite difficult. Although four villages were conquered and more than 300 enemies were eliminated, half of them were lost. troops
Arirang won several battles but felt that the Beidong people were very tenacious and a difficult opponent. The next battle would be very difficult.
Over time, the advantages of the immigration policy gradually became apparent. As the war progressed, the resistance of the Beidong warriors became weaker. Many Beidong warriors refused to fight on the battlefield and revolted on the battlefield. The new armed forces made rapid progress. Some Beidong warriors were unwilling to fight. The Dong tribes and villages knelt down to welcome the king's division. They no longer used force to resist the Qing army. The situation was also greatly improved. The Pingtung Plain ushered in a wave of liberation.
Only then did the Xinwu Army realize the benefits of the ethnic policy, and even more spared no effort to clean up military discipline and promote the Qing Dynasty's policy of letting things go by the wayside towards the Beidong people.
After more than a month of marching and fighting, the sources of the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentinels were replenished. The recruits were mainly Taiwanese aboriginals, all of whom were recruited by Liu Mingchuan. They trained the team through battles. The officers and soldiers of the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentinels made rapid progress. The recruits quickly integrated into this glorious collective. It is obvious that they feel The combat effectiveness of the troops has improved. The "eight battalions and four sentries" that have withstood the baptism of artillery fire have become stronger.
At this time, Arirang led the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentries to enter Yueran Village without bloodshed. He communicated with Yuewang, the "village chief" of Yueran Village, and received important information. There was a Japanese squadron stationed in Wangyue Township five miles away.
"Zhai Chief" Yuewang is the lowest noble of the Beidong people. It can be said that people like Yuewang are the foundation of the Beidong chieftain system. Even such people are unwilling to leave their hometown and instead return to the Qing Dynasty. This shows that the chieftain Luo Xingyi betrayed the Qing Dynasty. Under the strong military threat of the Qing army and the inspiration of national justice, the Beidong people were still willing to serve the country. Chieftain Luo Xingying's betrayal of the motherland was spurned by the people [
"The village chief" Yue Wang said with great certainty: "Sir, I just came back from Wangyue Township yesterday and saw the Japanese Army Major Kameda. He also asked our Yueran Village to prepare fifty stones of food and grass and thirty strong laborers. The girl didn't want me to listen. It is said that the Japanese army no longer dares to touch women. The non-combat attrition of the Japanese army is very serious and it is women who are to blame."
Arilang believes that Yuewang will not lie because Yuewang's family is in Yueran Village. If Yuewang lies, Yueran Village will not leave more than 300 villagers. However, the Japanese army in Wangyu Township has a squadron with at least more than 100 Japanese troops. This is a block. I'm afraid he won't be able to defeat the tough nut with his one-post troops, but when the follow-up troops arrive, the Japanese army will retreat after getting the news and lose their chance of fighting.
Arirang thought carefully and asked: "Captain Yuewang, how long can you promise Major Kameda to raise all the food, grass and labor for him?"
"The village commander" Yue Wang said with a smile: "I just fooled Kameda Major once and promised him to give me one day. If you don't come, I can only send twenty stones of food and grass at most. How can I meet all the requirements of the Japanese army?"
Arirang smiled and said: "Very good, Chief Yuewang, please draw the topography of Wangyue Township. I also want to know how many villagers in Wangyue Township serve the Japanese army."
Literacy among the Beidong people, and the power of painting is in the hands of a very small number of people. The "village chief" Yuewang needs to manage a village, so of course he can speak and write.
Yuewang held a brush painting and said: "I can clearly see the topography of Wangyue Township with my eyes closed. There are more than 500 villagers in Wangyue Township and more than 100 guns. But I believe that the 'village chief' Tengchong will understand the situation clearly." He and I are relatives who will fight to the end and will listen to my advice."
"Excellent, Commander Yuewang, please immediately prepare fifty stones of food, grass, and vehicles. Be sure to prepare them all at night. We must rush to Wangyue Township at dawn to attack the Japanese army."
Yuewang looked eager to try and said, "Sir, I'm just waiting for your words. Little Japan has ruined so many girls from our Beidong tribe. I've long wanted to avenge this."
"Well, we, the New Armed Forces, are here to avenge you." Arilang replied angrily. The Beidong girl was a condolence gift given to the Japanese army by chieftain Luo Xingyi. The Beidong girl was raped by the Japanese army and still managed to come back alive.
Since the plague spread among the Japanese army, the Japanese army blamed the Paiwan girls for the plague. The Paiwan girls who were kidnapped by the Japanese army were slaughtered and their bones were left alive.
(This is also the reason why the Japanese army used comfort women in subsequent battles. Infectious diseases made the Japanese army become disloyal when talking about the invasion of Taiwan. One of the reasons why the Japanese army withdrew from Taiwan during the invasion of Taiwan: it was the Japanese army who contracted a terrible plague in Taiwan. Japanese soldiers died of illness every day, which greatly reduced the morale of the Japanese army. low)
Arirang hurriedly held a pre-war mobilization meeting to prepare for the raid on Wangyue Township. Lieutenant Zhang Xiaotian, Lieutenant Zhang Tiepian, Lieutenant Yang Jingwei, and Lieutenant Yan Bin heard that there was a Japanese army hiding in Wangyue Township. They were all eager to try and become a lone hero. Four people are vying for a spot, and no one is convinced.
Arirang made the final decision: "Don't argue. This operation is to impersonate the Beidong tribe. Whoever is the shortest will be the death squad member Yan Bin. This glorious and arduous task will be left to you. Let me change clothes first."
"It's to ensure that the mission is completed." Yan Bin proudly held up his chest, not caring at all that he was a short boy and blinked at Yang Jingwei. He was originally a farmhand of the big landowner Wang Yunteng, and he was the one who captured the commander Yang Jingwei of the Tongchui alive during the Battle of Weishan Lake. He made great achievements in battle. Yan Bin had just been promoted to the rank of lieutenant and still wanted to make great achievements. Yang Jingwei was persuaded by him all his life.
"Hmph" Yang Jingwei snorted coldly and turned away from looking at Yan Bin. He was in a bad mood and wanted to kill someone.
Arirang said with a serious expression: "A squadron of the Japanese army has very strong combat effectiveness. However, the plague is currently spreading in the Japanese army. I think there must be many patients in this army. Give him a 30% discount. There should be 70 or 80 people who still have combat effectiveness. We need to do it as soon as possible." To resolve the battle, if Wangyue Township cannot be taken tomorrow morning, immediately withdraw from the battle, never engage in a war of attrition with the enemy, and try to avoid unnecessary casualties. For the resistance of the Beidong people, we must focus on shouting. If it is no longer possible, no more artillery fire."
Each squad of the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentries has two small steel cannons. Sometimes they are assembled into an artillery team to form a powerful firepower. One small steel cannon is powerful enough to equal a squad. Eight small steel cannons are enough to make the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentries The combat effectiveness has been doubled, but artillery warfare requires higher logistics and transportation. Since the Beidong people rushed to join the Qing Dynasty, the pressure on the Qing army's transportation lines has been reduced. The Beidong people are also willing to serve the country. The officers and soldiers on the frontline have suddenly become With enough medicine, the Eighth Battalion and Four Posts jumped from two small steel cannons to eight small steel cannons. This allowed Arirang to dare to attack the Japanese defense line head-on with equal forces.
"Well, the Beidong people are talented people who know the current affairs. I think this lumpy Beidong people can still be trusted. If we go east to fight, I'm afraid we will encounter hard ideas." Zhang Xiaotian has a deputy position and is the second in command of the Eighth Battalion and Four Sentries. He passed through the battlefield. Baptizers become more mature and steady
Arirang nodded and said: "Don't worry about this. As long as we fight well here, the enemy can only shrink their troops. The Pingtung Plain will be dominated by cavalry. The Japanese army has no cavalry. If we fight here, our army will win."
Zhang Xiaotian muttered: "Most of our officers and soldiers in the Eighth Battalion and Four Posts don't know how to ride a horse. Captain, you're going too far."
Arirang spread out the map with a smile and said: "Not to mention that the future strategic layout will be planned by Commander-in-Chief Li. Let's first talk about how to sneak attack the Japanese army in Wangyue Township. What I want is to completely annihilate the defending enemy."
The military meeting was in full swing. The backbone of Arilang's officers and soldiers were all Shandong people. Shandong heroes who had seen injustice on the road had regarded Taiwan as their hometown. The Qing army lived in harmony with the Beidong people. They made fires and cooked together. They fought in the Pingtung Plain with the support of ethnic minorities. The Qing army seemed to have eyes like an eagle and could predict every move of the Japanese army.
The soldiers of the Qing army standing guard are like green pines standing at the east gate of the motherland.