At 8 o'clock in the morning on May 12th, the fully equipped independent division left Yu sadly under the watch of the generals of the former enemy headquarters and the officers and soldiers of the 7th Division, 40th Army, 27th Army, and 31st Army.
Going south of the city, the officers and soldiers of the two regiments and two battalions of the independent division will pass through Qihe, Jiaomiao, Guide and other counties and towns, covering a distance of 98 kilometers, and arrive at Wande Town on Jinpu Road, where they will transfer to a train and head to the south for 11
Ten kilometers to Yanzhou for rest.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, the independent division traveled 32 kilometers to Jiaomiao Town on the west bank of the Yellow River. All officers and soldiers stopped going south. Two regiments and one battalion were stationed at three points around Jiaomiao to make rice. An Yi's division
The troops stationed themselves at the manor of the local wealthy gentry Jiao Laorenwai, preparing to rest for the night and continue their journey tomorrow.
A five-person supervision team sent by He Yingqin was politely placed in the manor by An Yi. The officers of the political department of the five general headquarters were all exhausted and weak. As soon as they entered the manor, they collapsed under the cool locust tree and gasped.
He took the water handed to him by the staff of the independent division and drank it. Then he took off his straps and shoes, and felt the painful blisters on his feet.
The reason why the five members of the supervision team were so tired was that they were marching on foot like most of the officers and soldiers. The independent division was not without horses. There were more than 700 horses, all of which were assigned to the cavalry battalion led by Hu Jialin and the reconnaissance teams. The company division
Chang An Yi and Chief of Staff Li Guang were both walking in the middle of the team carrying rifles. How could the five of them have the nerve to ask An Yi to get a few horses instead? While they were quite angry at An Yi, they were also impressed by An Yi's resilience and independent division.
He admired the strict military discipline, and at the same time complained about the actions of his superior He Yingqin. The five people were originally unwilling to be sent to supervise the independent division's southward retreat. This kind of behavior of supervising the army that they did not trust their own people was very disappointing.
I was very disgusted, and two of them were Huangpu II brothers who had never had any conflicts with An Yi. They were very polite when meeting each other. This time, they actually got along with An Yi as a supervisor. It was really embarrassing. Not only did they suffer from the independent division along the way,
The officers' supercilious looks may also lead to a grudge against An Yi, a junior fellow student who is well-known throughout the army and has a profound background. How could they be willing?
The setting sun sets in the west, and the land of Qilu, which has been scorched by the scorching sun for a day, is still extremely hot. The manor with whirling green trees is a different scene. The tall, tough and hospitable old man Jiao has set up a big table under the big tree and is chatting with An Yi.
While Cheng Guang and others were sipping tea and chatting in a friendly manner, praising the reputation of the An family army and An Yi's righteous deeds in disaster relief, the steward of the Jiao family, leading a group of servants, was hastily setting up long tables and benches, and the local specialty sauce-flavored donkey meat was tempting.
The scent of human beings has filled the air, and the three major local families are going to jointly entertain An Yi and his chief at the manor.
Since the Japanese army occupied Jinan, Japanese patrols have appeared from time to time on the other side of the Yellow River. When they heard about the heinous crimes committed by the Japanese army in Jinan, the people in Jiaomiao were panicked and frightened. The big families in the town were already ready to flee. Now it seems
How could you not be overjoyed when the world-famous An Jiajun arrived?
At this moment, the brothers of the two regiments and one battalion of the independent division stationed around the town were all enjoying generous treatment as soldiers of the People's Army. Every household respected the reputation of An's army and was grateful for An Yi's kindness to the victims of the Shandong Province.
He dedicated his best food to the officers and soldiers. The poor families had little, so they asked their children to collect firewood and help the officers and soldiers carry water for cooking. The officers and soldiers of the independent division were deeply moved. Nearly a thousand newly joined brothers enjoyed it for the first time in their lives.
I was deeply affected by the heartfelt support and love from the people.
Jiao Temple is located a few kilometers on the west bank of the Yellow River. Across the river is the boundary of Jinan. It is only 20 kilometers away from Renhe Ferry in the east to the west gate of Jinan City. The town has a long history and a profound cultural heritage. The people are as close as anywhere in Qilu.
Like the people everywhere, they are warm, polite, forthright and down-to-earth. Even unskilled people who have never read books often come up with one or two idioms and allusions when talking. They always greet each other politely and candidly when they meet. Not to mention that they are deeply influenced by the teachings of Confucius and Mencius.
A person who has passed the book.
The old man An Yi faced was a scholar from the late Qing Dynasty with a well-off family, but he did not have the pedantry of ordinary sour scholars. He spoke concisely and realistically, which made people very comfortable. Therefore, they had a great time chatting with each other at the wine table.
Get along.
As night fell, the servants outside Mr. Jiao hung up bright lanterns, illuminating the entire courtyard with more than 20 banquet tables. The two leaders of the supervision team of Huangpu Phase II were invited by An Yi to his table to accompany him.
, the remaining three team members, who had just recovered from their fatigue and were so hungry that their bellies were sticking to their spines, sat at the same table with the division staff and staff, and were already eating like hungry wolves. However, Huang Zhi, the deputy chief of the operations section of the independent division, and the staff
They kept toasting, and the three squires at the table were even more enthusiastic. Before the banquet was over, the three of them had already lost their tongues.
In the middle of the lively banquet, a burly man with a dark face strode out of the main hall. When the local folks at the banquet table saw this imposing man of twenty-four or five years old, they quickly stood up and shouted, "Young Master."
", An Yi looked up and was slightly surprised. The big man who walked straight towards him had the characteristics of a soldier. Hu Jialin, who was at the same table, glanced at the big man and continued to eat. Gu Changfeng whispered to An Yi that someone was here.
Have some background in kung fu.
Mr. Jiao had already stood up, called the big man to his side, and introduced to An Yi and others solemnly:
"Generals, this is Guangxu, an old dog, ranked sixth. He has not liked poetry and books since he was a child and has not made much progress. When he was seventeen years old, he had to go to Dingzhou to join the army with his second uncle. He said that he traveled thousands of miles and read thousands of books.
The old man had no choice but to let him go. At the end of last month in Liaocheng, he and his second uncle were beaten up by General Feng Huanzhang's cavalry. His second uncle suddenly became a mere commander.
A few days after I came back, I slept with my head covered every day, sleeping at night and day, and the old man gave up on his temper...Xu'er, I was toasting some generals, and you came out just now, it's already very rude!"
"Dad, please sit down."
Jiao Guangxu helped his father sit down very respectfully, picked up a bowl of wine, and stared at An Yi with piercing eyes: "General An is so famous! My brother's greeting was not thoughtful and disrespectful. I hope General Haihan, please——"
"please!"
An Yi stood up, picked up the wine bowl with both hands, gestured with a smile, and drank it all at the same time as Jiao Guangxu. He slowly sat down and looked at the defeated general of the Zhilu Army with a smile without saying anything. However, Jiao Guangxu was very discerning and glanced at the generals on the table.
, picked up the wine bowl and asked for the names of Hu Jialin and Gu Changfeng one by one. When he heard Hu Jialin and Gu Changfeng say their names, he was secretly frightened, but his face showed a calm and unhurried look, neither humble nor overbearing.
After Feng touched a bowl, he offered another bowl to the others, then sat down next to his father, picked up his chopsticks and ate the food.
An Yi, Hu Jialin, and Gu Changfeng all know which part of the Zhilu Army was defeated by Feng Yuxiang's cavalry Xi Yechibu. However, An Yi and the other three are extremely confident wizards who have experienced hundreds of battles. No one cares about this and continues to be happy.
They happily drank and chatted with the three old men at the same table, asking about the local customs, places of interest, and historical sites. The atmosphere was harmonious and the laughter was loud, but Jiao Guangxu felt uncomfortable after being left out.
A few days after Jiao Guangxu left the Zhilu Army at dusk in Xishan and returned home, he woke up in the evening and learned that the arriving army was the Anyi Independent Division of the Revolutionary Army. He was shocked and uneasy at the time, but he thought that the Anyi Division had integrated the Zhilu Army in Changqing County, Hedong at the beginning of the month.
The friendly behavior of the defeated soldiers made him feel a lot more at ease, knowing that the An family army would not embarrass him. When his father welcomed An Yi and his party into the manor, he really wanted to see Chang An Yi, who was famous all over the world and made the entire Zhilu Army talk about it.
How do you look, but you can’t let go of your dignity and come out to meet each other? Mr. Jiao, who dotes on his son, is very open-minded and is not the kind of person who is stubborn about the past. He also allows his younger son to have his own temperament, hoping that one day he will control his wild nature.
If you marry him a wife, you will be settled.
The banquet was about to end, and Jiao Guangxu could no longer hold back the many questions in his mind. He raised his wine bowl and offered another bowl to the generals on the table. He showed the bottom of the bowl and sat down straight, looking at An Yi:
"General An, I didn't expect General An to be so elegant, nor did I expect General Hu and General Gu to be such young heroes. I'm deeply surprised and admired.
For several days, it was rumored that the Anjiajun fought with the Japanese troops on the north bank of the Jinan Chengbei Bridge for most of the day. The battle was very fierce. Newspapers in Tianjin and Beijing said that the Japanese army suffered casualties of more than 540 people, but there were different accounts of the number of Anjiajun casualties.
According to records in newspapers in Nanjing and Shanghai, An's army suffered more than 1,300 casualties, and this number was announced by the General Headquarters of the Revolutionary Army. I would like to ask General An and the two generals whether this is true?"
Hu Jialin and Gu Changfeng looked at An Yi and smiled. An Yi thought for a moment and replied politely: "During the war, many problems were difficult to deal with, especially at the moment when the Chinese and Japanese governments are undergoing intense negotiations, and European and American powers are also participating.
It almost came in, and it was called mediation. It was actually because we were not willing to let our interests in North China be squeezed out by the Japanese, so overall it was relatively beneficial to us. At this time, China and Japan would each find reasons for their own interests. What the Japanese announced
The death toll was 384 people and more than 200 were injured. This number is still credible. After all, the battle on May 2 was very fierce. The Japanese army fired more than 5,000 artillery shells and machine gun bullets at our position.
There are countless brothers in our division who still cannot hear, and more than thirty of them may become deaf in their lifetime. One can imagine the intensity of the shelling at that time."
Jiao Guangxu was disappointed when he did not get the exact number of casualties of the Independent Division, but he admired An Jiajun who dared to fight the Japanese army: "I admire General An and everyone very much. An Jiajun was the first person since the Republic of China to dare to fight the Japanese army.
This alone makes people awe-inspiring! Come on, I will give you a toast to all the generals..."
"I'm sorry, Brother Jiao, let's stop drinking tonight. It's against the law to drink during the march, let alone overdrinking. On behalf of all the officers and soldiers of the division, I would like to express my gratitude to the three seniors and fellow villagers for their love. I would also like to thank Brother Jiao for his warm hospitality."
!”
An Yi stood up and saluted with clasped fists. Hu Jialin and others also stood up and saluted. The two supervisory team leaders were already dizzy and were eager to finish the work and go back to their rooms to sleep. They also stood up and expressed their thanks with smiles on their faces.
The squires were polite for a while, and exchanged greetings with each other for nearly ten minutes before saying goodbye. An Yi led his brothers to send them far away from the courtyard. After being stopped by the squires' enthusiasm, they returned to the courtyard, and then went to the main hall to express their thanks to Mr. Jiao, his father, his son, and his family.
, said goodbye and walked out a few steps, Jiao Guangxu chased after him from behind.
"Generals, please stay!" Jiao Guangxu, who was chasing after him, saw An Yi stop and turn around. He strode forward and looked at An Yi: "General, are you going south tomorrow?"
An Yi nodded: "Yes, my brother has been fighting continuously and is quite exhausted. He needs a period of rest and has to rush back as soon as possible. If Brother Jiao has any questions, feel free to speak up. As long as it does not involve military secrets, I will tell you everything."
Jiao Guangxu hesitated for a moment, then raised his head and asked solemnly: "General An, I heard that your department has been recruiting troops. Thousands of disbanded brothers in the Sixth Army have been recruited to join the general's team. I would like to ask if the general wants to recruit more people?"
"Oh? Could it be that Brother Jiao wants to continue joining the army? I wonder if Brother Jiao originally held any position under General Xu Yuanquan, the general of the Zhilu Army?" An Yi asked with a smile.
Jiao Guangxu's face was full of embarrassment: "My younger brother has been working as a captain and commander of the cavalry battalion for seven years. Last year on the Xubeng front line in Jiangbei, he almost encountered the general's independent division. Fortunately, the general's independent division was nowhere to be found. My army was
I was so thankful that every time the brothers talked about the general's independent division, they all became pale. Seeing other brigades being beaten like that, no one wanted to encounter an enemy like the general.
In March this year, our troops withdrew to Zhili. At the end of last month, we suffered heavy losses in the battle at Liaocheng. The entire division was crippled. The younger brother was disheartened and returned home. After returning home, he increasingly struggled to figure out what to do. When he learned that the general led his troops in
After the fierce battle with the Japanese army on the 2nd of this month, my ignorant mind suddenly became clear.
I have respected Yue Wumu since I was a child, but in the past seven years, the fighting has become more and more boring. Only the general's army is the army I dream of. If the general does not give up, I am willing to serve with all my strength."
An Yi looked at Hu Jialin, Gu Changfeng, and Lu Guang. The three of them smiled and nodded, agreeing that the cavalry battalion to be established in his independent division did not have many talents. Jiao Guangxu in front of him had seven years of cavalry experience, which was very rare and mighty.
Crazy Jiao Guangxu's filial piety to his father just now is admirable. According to Gao Shenlao Shoudao, people who are filial to their parents will not be bad at all. As long as they are slightly restrained and disciplined, it will be a huge help, but it will not be good for their own relatives.
Don't expect him to be nice to anyone, and vice versa. The independent division also adheres to this principle when recruiting soldiers.
An Yi turned to Jiao Guangxu and asked with a smile: "What do you think, your father?"
"My father was full of praise for the general and his team. Just now he joked about why I couldn't find such a good army. As long as I tell my father, I believe my father will be sincerely happy for me." Jiao Guangxu said sincerely.
An Yi nodded: "Okay, you can talk to your father when you go back. As long as your father agrees, we will have no problem. We will leave early tomorrow morning."
"Has the general passed through Pingyin?" Jiao Guangxu asked excitedly.
"No! Cross the river on the Guide line, and you must arrive at Wande station before seven o'clock in the evening." An Yi replied.
Jiao Guangxu was surprised: "So fast... Although the general will go ahead tomorrow, my little brother will definitely arrive in Wande before the sun sets tomorrow to meet the general!"
After Jiao Guangxu finished speaking, he turned around and ran back to the main hall. An Yi and the others looked at each other and returned to the small courtyard in front, where they sat down to analyze Jiao Guangxu's character and conduct.
Gu Changfeng said that don't be fooled by this guy's half-hearted talk. I could smell the gangster spirit in his bones as soon as he showed up. Hu Jialin said that this guy has a lot of tricks. Judging from his pace and posture, he has both martial arts and horseback skills.
Not weak.
While the brothers were talking, they heard the sound of rapid horse hooves coming from the backyard, passing by the courtyard door and quickly disappearing to the south...