After Yu Jishi read the message, he put it on the table: "I know about this. Bengbu will hold a press conference for external publicity. The governments of various countries have seen the morale of our Northern Expeditionary Army marching northward, and they have the potential to intimidate Beijing to go straight to Huanglong.
, so most of them wavered and stopped supporting Sun Chuanfang. Only the Japanese still unswervingly supported Zhang Zuolin of the Feng faction for their own interests. Therefore, many countries sent many reporters to inquire about the news and asked to go to the front line to interview the generals of the various armies.
, in order to thoroughly understand our details. The principal felt that this was a difficult publicity opportunity, and after thinking about it, he agreed, so this press conference was held.
But Xiaoyi, I have to remind you that the initiative to hold a press conference in Bengbu was first proposed by General Li Delin. The reason was to promote the revolution, boost the morale of our Northern Expedition departments, and win support for the Northern Expedition revolution from all over the world. It seems that General Li Delin
It has been planned for a long time, you must be careful!"
"Ah!? That's it..."
An Yi was stunned for a moment, then said with a wry smile: "Isn't it okay if I don't go? I called back directly and said that our department had suffered heavy casualties and was undergoing intensive rest and recuperation, and really couldn't spare the time. Besides, the actual situation is also the same."
"No! You have to go!"
Yu Jishi said decisively: "Not only are we going, but we are also going to the area with great fanfare, so as to show the image of our Northern Expeditionary Army and the image of our Huangpu elite to the whole world. The principal is looking forward to this very much. Do you understand?"
An Yi sighed quietly: "Okay, I understand, go ahead and go. I haven't been to Bengbu anyway, so I'll just treat it as a trip."
The brothers couldn't help but smile after hearing this. Hu Zongnan looked at An Yi's listless look and didn't want to disturb him, so he chatted with Yin Jinan in a low voice. Yu Jishi, who had successfully completed the task, drank tea relaxedly and glanced at An Yi's frowning face from time to time, secretly feeling
funny.
An Yi felt bitter in his heart and leaned heavily on the soft sofa, looking at the patterned ceiling and trying to sort out his thoughts. Unexpectedly, he fell into a deep sleep after thinking about it. He was so tired that he had not slept for more than eight days.
Four hours of sleep is often two days and two nights of hard work all night long. Every change on the battlefield always affects his passionate heart...
Two hours later, when An Yi, who had recovered slightly, was rushing to return to Nanjing, Yu Ji, Hu Zongnan and others were sent outside the city. Hu Jialin and Gu Changfeng, who had come from Liuxiang Town for a meeting, were also seen off.
Returning to the main camp in the city, the reorganization work of the Independent Division began immediately. Among the 11,000 prisoners, more than 1,400 injured captives chose to stay for medical treatment after consultation with the officers and soldiers of the Independent Division. 6,000
The eliminated prisoners and officers each received two oceans of travel expenses and were immediately sent out of the city. The remaining more than 3,600 young and strong prisoners were divided among the three regiments, and more than half of them were allocated to the battlefield.
Chen Zhibiao's second regiment lost more than half, and Chen Zhibiao, who was in a gloomy mood, finally had something to do.
It was already five o'clock in the afternoon when An Yi arrived in Bengbu. There were only thirty-six guards accompanying him along the way. However, wherever the banner of the independent division went, friendly troops greeted him warmly, grandly and thoughtfully.
At the beginning, An Yi didn't feel anything was wrong. When he was about to enter Bengbu City, he learned in advance that generals such as Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, Wang Yingyu, Xia Wei and Hu Zongduo were waiting outside the city gate to greet them. An Yi immediately realized that he was prepared for this journey.
The reason for being treated politely.
There were still a hundred meters away from the welcoming crowd at the city gate. An Yi immediately dismounted his horse and, followed by the captain of the guard Lin Yaodong, strode towards the two generals Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi who were in the center of the welcoming team. He stood at attention and saluted respectfully as a subordinate.
, reported loudly, and the flash lights of a large number of reporters nearby made An Yi almost unable to open his eyes.
General Li Zongren returned the salute with a smile, strode forward, and held An Yi's hand affectionately: "I have admired General An for a long time and he is so famous. Seeing him today will give me a lifetime of comfort!"
An Yi replied with a smile: "I don't dare to take it! Sir and generals are coming to greet you, and my subordinates are very frightened and excited. Sir, I was lucky enough to witness my superior's style during the Battle of Tingsi Bridge. At that time, I served as the battalion commander of the Second Division Engineer Battalion.
, was selected into the engineer team of General Huang Qixiang's assault regiment. Before departure, the commander and General Chen Keyu and General Zhang Fakui personally marched for us. At that time, his subordinates led a platoon of engineer brothers who lined up at the back of the team, so we were lucky to meet the general."
Li Zongren thought carefully for a moment and laughed heartily: "Haha! I remember, it was already dark that day and the atmosphere was majestic and tragic. Due to confidentiality reasons, we officers were not able to send the warriors to the river in person. Now I think about it.
It's a pity, that night attack battle was beautifully fought!
I remember that Commander Huang Qixiang was also promoted to the rank of general after that battle, haha! Please, some wine has been prepared in the camp. After washing and changing clothes, the dinner will begin immediately. Feel free to take some rest. A press conference will be held at eight o'clock tonight
It would be great if General An is here. The Second Route Army is represented by General Jiansheng and General An. This press conference tonight will be very representative."
"Thank you, sir! Sir Bai, please... Sir Xia, please Sir Hu!"
An Yi was humble and courteous. Hu Zongduo, the commander of the Second Division of the Seventh Army who had met An Yi several times and worked with him outside the city of Nanchang, patted An Yi affectionately on the shoulder. Chief of Staff Wang Yingyu and Deputy Army Commander General Xia Wei greeted An Yi.
They also seem to appreciate An Yi's politeness and self-cultivation, and they get along well with each other, without anything being far-fetched.
After returning to the Bengbu camp for a brief chat, An Yi and his party were taken to the Bengbu Hotel, the best hotel in the city, to settle in. Interestingly, An Yi's room was arranged at the east end of the third floor, directly opposite General Bai Chongxi's room.
, the whole process was accompanied by Director Mai of the Political Department of the Seventh Army and Bai Chongxi's chief of bodyguards. The courtesy was not bad, which made the wary An Yi feel uneasy and frightened. Fortunately, Bai Chongxi's chief of bodyguards Huang Ruihua and An Yi were old acquaintances. That day
When the siege of Nanchang failed, Huang Ruihua escorted Commander-in-Chief Chiang out of the siege. It was An Yi who led his troops to respond, so there was no sense of unfamiliarity after meeting.
Huang Ruihua asked An Yi to wash and change clothes, and personally arranged An Yi's thirty-six guards in the eight guest rooms next door. He was very warm and thoughtful.
What An Yi didn't expect was that the dinner turned out to be an open buffet combining Chinese and Western styles. More than a hundred Chinese and foreign reporters were also invited to the banquet. The restaurant was bustling and lively.
General Li Zongren introduced Wang Tianpei, commander of the Tenth Army, the former enemy commander of the Third Route Army, Bai Wenwei, a veteran of the Thirty-third Army Commanders' Alliance, and other generals to An Yi one by one, causing An Yi, a young major general, to salute frequently.
, unable to stop for several minutes.
Fortunately, after the meeting, General Li Zongren, who was busy with everything, had to eat and talk with a group of veterans, so An Yi could relax a little bit.
An Yi had just gotten some food back and before he sat down to start, Bai Chongxi, Zhang Dingfan and others arrived one after another.
When Bai Chongxi saw An Yi standing up to salute, he quickly waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need to be more polite, and ordered the waiter to bring food and drinks. The three of them sat down and talked quietly.
Bai Chongxi smiled and signaled An Yi not to be restrained, while Zhang Dingfan was very interested in asking about some key decision-making points in the Battle of Five Rivers.
An Yi did not hide anything, answered truthfully one by one, and told all about his difficulties and hesitation at the critical moment. Seeing the strange expression on Zhang Dingfan's face, he quickly asked:
"Chief of Staff, subordinate... Is there anything wrong with what my subordinate did? Chief of Staff, please give me some advice."
Zhang Dingfan shook his head and sighed slightly: "This battle has been fought like this. How dare I say anything to teach you? I just listened to your account, and then thought of Chief Bai's analysis and summary of all aspects of the Battle of Wuhe, and found that Chief Bai and General An were fighting against each other.
There are surprising similarities in predicting the enemy. Your ability to command and fight far exceeds my original estimate. It is unexpected that such a young person has such foresight and courage. It is incredible, incredible!"
"The chief of staff deserves a commendation. His subordinates were in danger and they really had no choice but to take a risk. Looking back afterwards, they found that their troop formations were full of loopholes. As long as there is a problem in one link, it is probably...
It ended up being a complete defeat and running away, I’m so ashamed!”
An Yi sincerely expressed his feelings. Thinking of the dangers of this battle, he couldn't help but grab a white napkin to wipe the sweat on his forehead.
Seeing An Yi's humble look, Bai Chongxi secretly praised him for being so honest about his gains and losses after a big victory. It was rare to see people face up to their own shortcomings instead of being complacent. At least, Bai Chongxi had never seen him since the Northern Expedition.
, I see almost all people who are arrogant and arrogant even if they have some achievements. Even if they are humble and decline on the surface, they are satisfied in their hearts. There are few people like An Yi who are honest and forthright, and speak out about their own shortcomings.
At the same time, Bai Chongxi, who is good at calculations, is also quite wary of An Yi's keen battlefield insights and fast and strange tactics. Combined with An Yi's unique training methods and efficient and unique military management system, Bai Chongxi suddenly develops a vague feeling.
Yue Yue is wary.
Bai Chongxi still had a friendly smile on his face. He put down the knife, wiped the corner of his mouth gently, and drank a sip of boiled water. Xiao looked at An Yi who was discussing with Zhang Dingfan with interest. Seeing that the conversation between the two had come to an end, Bai Chongxi waited for An Yi to eat.
After ordering something and picking up the juice, he asked with a smile:
"An Yi, the gains from this battle are not small... How did you deal with the 10,000 captive soldiers in your camp?"
An Yi quickly put down the cup and reported truthfully: "Among them, more than 1,400 injured prisoners were left for treatment, more than 3,640 prisoners who were willing to join were divided into various regiments to replenish consumption, and most of the others were old, weak, sick, disabled and unfit for training.
All the soldiers and ruffians were dismissed before their subordinates left.
After the war, it was very difficult for my subordinates to supply supplies. During that week, it was only thanks to the generous assistance of the local people that the officers and soldiers did not go hungry. However, the lives of the local people were also very difficult. The people paid too much for our war.
We can't put any more pressure on them, so we can't bear to implement the practice of collecting food and grass on the spot.
Due to transportation reasons, only one batch of military supplies, which was in charge of General Liu Shoujiang, the party representative of our division, was delivered. It was originally enough to consume the entire division's officers and soldiers for two and a half days. In the end, most of it was consumed by the prisoners. The next batch of supplies is expected to be replenished.
It would not be delivered until tomorrow, so my subordinates had to send most of the prisoners away.
Although I know that nearly half of the demobilized soldiers will still have to work as soldiers to make a living after they go back, and it is very likely that they will take up guns to fight against our Northern Expeditionary Army, but from a humanitarian standpoint, my subordinates can only do this. I have always believed that this is
In the civil war, our opponents are the Chinese, so... we cannot be too harsh, and please forgive me for any mistakes made, sir!"
"There is nothing wrong. Your handling is correct. If it were me, I would do the same."
Bai Chongxi nodded and continued: "It is indeed a bit ill-considered to let you lead the troops to go deep this time, but you have told us with your brilliant results that you still have great potential to be tapped."
An Yi looked at Bai Chongxi in surprise, and Bai Chongxi and Zhang Dingfan looked at each other and smiled.
"Sorry! I disturbed General Bai and General Zhang. Can I borrow General Bai's favorite general for a few minutes?"
Ye Qing, a young and beautiful female reporter from "Central Daily News" suddenly appeared behind An Yi and made a request to Bai Chongxi with a smile.
Bai Chongxi nodded politely in agreement. After Ye Qing thanked An Yi, who stood up to salute, he smiled and said: "You look really handsome in the general's uniform, but you haven't shaved your beard cleanly. Come on, go to my table, He Jing
I'm there with a few old friends...Thank you, General Bai, General Zhang, I'm sorry."
"Miss Ye, please!"
Bai Chongxi nodded reservedly, watching Ye Qing pull the restrained An Yi towards the reporter's table under the window diagonally opposite, smiled slightly, and whispered:
"Our young player is so popular! I'm afraid he will outshine everyone at the press conference later."
Zhang Dingfan smiled knowingly, glanced at the back of the graceful Ye Qing, nodded and said: "We have been heroes and beauties since ancient times, and no one can escape from this circle. What's more, An Yi is now in his prime, and is famous all over the world for his numerous military exploits at a young age.
Yeah, what woman doesn’t like it? Haha!"
An Yi didn't like it, but he couldn't help it. Ye Qing, who was wearing a light blue cheongsam and an exquisite embroidered vest, grabbed An Yi's arm and pulled An Yi away under the envious gazes of the surrounding reporters.
When he arrived at his table, He Jing had already stood up to greet him and introduced his friends from the press to An Yi one by one.
An Yi politely shook hands one by one. After sitting down, he asked Zhou Chongan, a reporter from Shenbao who was smiling and silent beside him, in a low voice: "When did you arrive?"
"I came here yesterday. I got the war zone pass in Nanjing. I wanted to go to Wuhe to see you, but I heard you were coming to Bengbu and didn't go there. Congratulations on your great victory!"
Zhou Chongan laughed softly in the tone of an old friend.
An Yi smiled nonchalantly, turned to Ye Qing and asked in a low voice: "Sister Qing, where did you abduct this beautiful American girl from?"
Everyone laughed, and Ye Qing criticized An Yi angrily: "How can you talk so casually? How rude! This is the China correspondent of the New York Times. We have known each other since we first came to Shanghai Press last year.
However, Miss Kaplan had been working in Beijing and Tianjin before, and she was not transferred to Shanghai until last month."
Ye Qing turned to Kaplan and laughed in a low voice: "Don't worry, this guy is so casual with a few of our friends. He is still a little boy under the age of twenty-one, haha!"
Kaplan, who has black hair and beautiful brown eyes, smiled generously and said: "It's nothing, that's good...General An, it's nice to meet you."
"Thank you! I'm very happy too."
An Yi seemed to remember something and stared into Kaplan's eyes and asked curiously: "Ms. Kaplan speaks Chinese very well. It only takes one year to reach this level. It's really surprising."
Kaplan smiled brightly: "I am very smart, and we Jews are all gifted with languages."
An Yi nodded: "This is exactly what I want to ask. During the Battle of Quzhou at the beginning of the year, Alfred the priest from Quzhou City once said to me when he was helping our officers and soldiers to treat that the surname Kaplan was Jewish.
Mr. Alfred also told me that his wife’s surname was Kaplan.”
Kaplan replied happily: "Dear General An, Alfred is my brother-in-law, and he is the best and kindest doctor in the world."
"Yeah?"
An Yi looked at Kaplan with bright and fair eyes in surprise. Ye Qing, He Jing, Zhou Chongan and others also looked at her with great interest.
"Yes! Let me tell the general another news. Ten days ago, I accompanied my sister who came from the United States to the church in Quzhou. My sister planned to stay in China with Alfred to preach and practice medicine. Alfred said
We talked about the Battle of Quzhou, and specifically mentioned General An. He spoke very highly of the general, saying that the general was a wise and knowledgeable man, a kind and tolerant man. Such a general is rare in China at present. He is a true
's hero."
Kaplan said happily, her beautiful mouth is very sexy, showing her crystal white teeth when she smiles.
An Yi was stunned for a moment, looking at this and that, and he laughed when he saw smiles on everyone's faces: "I'm not a hero. If people like me are heroes, then there are too many heroes in the world.
Well, at least in my opinion, I am not a hero, I can only be regarded as a qualified soldier. A real hero is someone who resists foreign humiliation and strives for independence and unity for the nation. Only those like Mr. Sun Yat-sen can be considered a real hero."
"No, no, no! The general is too humble. It would be puzzling if the general cannot be called a hero based on his military exploits. Generals like Li Zongren, General Bai Chongxi, etc. are all heroes in the eyes of the Chinese people, right?
?" Kaplan looked politely into An Yi's eyes.
An Yi thought for a moment and smiled: "Then... you ask Mr. Zhou Chongan and Mr. He Jing to see if they agree with your point of view."
Zhou Chongan and He Jing glared at An Yi angrily, because the three of them had a heated discussion about heroes and tycoons during the time they got together in Kunshan. As a result, even An Yi was regarded by Zhou Chongan as a person with great tyrannical potential.
People, He Jing also basically agreed with Zhou Chongan's point of view. At this time, An Yi suddenly said this, which made the two of them quite passive. Although they thought so in their hearts, in today's atmosphere and the current situation in China, they
No one dared to shout out loud. Seeing their friends looking at them, they could only smile without comment.
Fortunately, Director Mai of the Political Department of the Seventh Army arrived just in time. He politely greeted the reporters and sent An Yi away. Only then did Ye Qing remember that he didn’t have time to ask the few questions he wanted to ask, so he talked to a few
Friends discussed together to ask An Yi for an exclusive interview opportunity later in the day.
This proposal made the beautiful Miss Kaplan very happy. She was the first to raise her hand in favor and expressed her gratitude to Ye Qing.