The competition between Liu Zhaocheng and Zhang Jingtang, two opponents who are not at the same level at all, made Zhang Jingtang, known as "Little Zhuge", completely trapped in Liu Zhaocheng's maneuvers!
On June 28, after Zhang Jingtang voluntarily gave up Lianyuan, he voluntarily gave up Loudi again.
They pulled all the troops of the two brigades into Xiangxiang in an attempt to form a line of defense between Xiangxiang and Xiangtan.
The Northern Expeditionary Army did not expend much effort. They successfully mobilized Zhang Jingtang with only the bombing of planes and artillery. They easily obtained Lianyuan and consolidated the Loudi position. At the same time, they established contact with the 3,000 Hunan Army.
Zhang Jingtang, who was full of confidence before the expedition and always thought that he could determine the situation in Hunan in one battle, embarrassedly gave up Lianyuan and Loudi to the Northern Expeditionary Army. In exchange, he got a group of exhausted people who gradually lost interest in Zhang Jingtang.
Soldier of faith.
Liu Zhaocheng used his troops calmly. On July 2, as a large number of Northern Expeditionary troops entered the front line, the encirclement of Xiangxiang was completed.
Zhang Jingtang attempted to connect Xiangxiang and Xiangtan to form a complete defense line, but the result was that the connection between Xiangxiang and Xiangtan was completely severed, and the two places were completely in a situation of fighting alone.
After that, a large number of leaflets began to appear in Xiangxiang. What was written on them was: "You call me Zhuge in vain, you are laughing at the real Kong Ming. I will not attack Zhang Jingtang, but only capture Zhang Jingyao. With four commanders in Hunan, the Northern Expedition can be accomplished."
This leaflet showed great contempt for Zhang Jingyao. After seeing this leaflet, Zhang Jingtang was furious. After a while, he was stunned again. He sat there in a daze for a while, and suddenly he opened his mouth and spurted out a mouthful of blood.
come out.
As for Xiangxiang, the Northern Expeditionary Army did not seem to pay attention to Zhang Jingtang at all. They began to mobilize a large number of troops and generals to move in the direction of Xiangtan. In Xiangxiang, only one brigade was used to monitor.
With Zhang Jingtang, there is no intention of attacking Xiangxiang.
Zhang Jingtang suspected that there was fraud and sent a large number of spies to investigate the situation. However, those spies who returned to Xiangxiang muttered for a long time before cautiously saying: "The Northern Expeditionary Army talked about the incompetent Zhang Sishuai there. Xiangxiang
It's just a toy in Liu Zhaocheng's hand. You can get it if you want, and if you want to enter, you can go in and talk about how incompetent Zhang Sishuai is. It doesn't matter if he doesn't fight, it's better to concentrate on taking Xiangtan..." Zhang Jingtang's chun kept trembling there.
After a while, another mouthful of blood spurted out. His subordinates hurriedly came to help and comfort him. Zhang Jingtang pushed his subordinates away and said, "In a decisive battle, I want to fight Liu Zhaocheng! Order the 24th Division of Xiangtan to attack the enemy in front.
To divert the attention of the Northern Expeditionary Army, mix it into 1
The 1st Brigade is defending Xiangxiang, and the 7th Division is preparing to attack the Northern Expedition outside the city!" No one can stand such contempt, let alone a "little Zhuge" like Zhang Jingtang who thinks highly of himself?
Zhang Jingtang made a desperate move, determined to fight to the death with the Northern Expedition outside Xiangxiang City, regardless of victory or defeat, to restore his lost reputation!
The entire 7th Division was gathered together, and boxes of oceans were placed in front of the soldiers. Zhang Jingtang, who was ill and went on the expedition, pointed to the oceans in front of him and said: "Brothers, the rebels are outside the city now, and I am here.
Mr. Zhang has saved all his life, and I have decided to fight the rebels! Now the officials are five yuan each, and the soldiers are two yuan each. As long as the rebels are defeated, all the oceans here will be yours!,,
Morale was immediately mobilized.
The shouts of "Long live the Four Commanders, long live the Four Commanders" rang out from the mouths of these soldiers who had taken it to the ocean.
Facing the cheering soldiers, confidence finally returned to Zhang Jingtang.
On July 4, Zhang Jingtang used the mixed Sichuan Brigade to defend Xiangxiang. He personally led the main force of the 7th Division to fight a decisive battle with the Northern Expeditionary Army.
Rao Guohua's brigade was defending outside the city of Xiangxiang. Zhang Jingtang's sudden decisive battle stance may have been something Rao Guohua did not expect. After entering the battle, the Northern Expedition soldiers seemed a little panicked.
Although the gunfire on the Northern Expeditionary Army's position was very intensive, under the stimulation of the ocean, the 7th Division still launched desperate charges again and again.
Finally, the numerically disadvantaged Rao Guohua brigade could no longer withstand it. At noon at Sichuan Point, Rao Guohua issued an order to abandon the position.
Zhang Jingtang’s feet stepped on the Northern Expeditionary Army’s position!
The physical discomfort was completely dispelled, and Zhang Jingtang became high-spirited again. During the Northern Expedition, if the Northern Expedition really fought, it would be nothing more than that!
"Report, the rebels are retreating towards Shuangfeng!" "Gather all the troops and chase me!"
Zhang Jingtang gave an order, and the 7th Division rushed forward and swept away like a tide in the direction of Shuangfeng...
Sun Wu Army General Headquarters.
"Really? Zhang Jingtang is out of the city?" Liu Zhaocheng put down a sunspot on the chessboard: "...I can't even see the simplest dragging knife tactic, and I really dare to call "Little Zhuge" the order, the plane is dispatched, in
The 7th Division was bombed in the direction of Yutang. The Kou Division, formed into the independent 4th Brigade, occupied Shanzao. Rao Guohua's brigade took up positions at Zimen Bridge to block the 7th Division. The remaining units monitored Xiangxiang and Xiangtan to make them
Unable to reinforce Zhang Jingtang."
"Yes!" Li Zongren looked at the chessboard for a while. He dropped a piece! "Zhang Jingtang was inferior to Zhuge, but he was defeated again and again. This time he only thought that the 7th Division would be ruined in his hands."
Liu Zhaocheng took away two white stones: "The previous series of actions have already dealt a heavy blow to the arrogant Zhang Jingtang. Now that we are arrogant, Zhang Jingtang can't bear it even more. As a general, in the end,
It’s taboo to be complacent when you win and be arrogant when you lose. In fact, Zhang Jingtang was not defeated by the enemy, but by himself.”
He was not happy about this upcoming victory. In Liu Zhaocheng's eyes, Zhang Jingtang was just an insignificant, arrogant clown, while in Liu Zhaocheng's eyes, he had only one real enemy in Hunan: Wu Peifu
!
At this time, Zhang Jingyao had no idea that he had fallen into a trap.
The 7th Division scrambled to catch up, with Youhuo defeating the Northern Expeditionary Army in front of them, and the Ocean Spurs behind them. It would be a great achievement to seize the former, but those who fell behind might not even be able to drink the soup.
In this desperate pursuit, the 7th Division gradually lost touch with its front and rear.
Shanzao, Yutang, and the places where the Northern Expeditionary Army "retreated" all fell into the hands of Zhang Jingtang.
The Northern Expeditionary Army was "defeated" and Zhang Jingtang's "little Zhuge" confidence that he was "certain of victory" completely returned to Zhang Sishuai.
Zimen Bridge.
"Order the entire brigade to stop retreating and build a defense line on the spot!" Rao Guohua said with a smile: "After escaping so far, it's time to stop and rest!"
The show begins!
Rao Guohua's 1st Brigade suddenly stopped at Zimen Bridge and built simple fortifications. All light and heavy machine guns were set up. The black muzzles of the guns were aimed at the pursuing 7th Division!
The plane appeared in the sky above the 7th Division, and after circling for several times, it began to bomb Yutang.
The vanguard regiment of the 7th Division, which had been separated from the beginning and the end, saw the "rebellion" stopped at Zimen Bridge. Already dazzled by the previous "victory", they unexpectedly launched a desperate attack on the 1st Brigade position at Zimen Bridge.
Charged.
The fire net formed by the interweaving of light and heavy machine guns turned the charging position into a death zone. The northern troops who rushed up in droves fell densely under the powerful firepower of the 1st Brigade.
The 7th Division, which had had a smooth journey before, roared up and retreated under the heavy casualties. The Northern Expeditionary Army, which had been "vulnerable" in their eyes before, suddenly exploded with huge fighting power!
In the direction of Yutang, Zhang Jingtang, who was pulling behind, had a hard time. After the plane bombing, another shocking news came to Zhang Jingtang: the Northern Expeditionary Army had occupied Shanzao, cutting off the 7th Division's retreat!
Zhang Jingtang's brain exploded with a bang. Why didn't he, a "little Zhuge", see such a simple plan to defeat the enemy?
"Four Commanders, the rebellious party is blaming me from Shan Zao for the Movement!" "Four Commanders, our vanguard regiment's attack on Zimen Bridge is unfavorable and has suffered heavy casualties. Please ask for reinforcements!" One after another bad news reached Zhang Jing.
Tang Erli made Zhang Sishuai extremely irritable.
It's over, I didn't check for a while, and fell into Liu Zhaocheng's trick again. Now the entire 7th Division has been surrounded! You can lose anything, but the 7th Division must not be lost!
This is my lifeblood!
"Attack, attack, take down Zimen Bridge and rush in!" Zhang Jingyao hissed with all his strength. Perhaps, this is the only possibility to lead the 7th Division to break out.
However, the attack of the 7th Division, which was already in chaos, was not at all what Zhang Jingyao thought.
Under the severe attack of the 1st Brigade of the Northern Expeditionary Army, the 7th Division was exhausted after only two attacks. At this time, the morale of the Northern Army could no longer be mobilized by the ocean.
The Northern Expeditionary Army in the direction of Shanzao, with divisions and brigades, and with the support of aircraft, began to attack Zhang Jingtang's 7th Division in Yutang. The entire 7th Division gathered in the small Yutang to Zi
Gate bridge line.
Planes take off frequently for bombing. Now let alone attack, even the 7th Defense Division is finding it difficult to organize.
The end quietly came to Zhang Jingtang.
Sitting there in frustration, Zhang Jingtang's mind went blank. What else could he do now? There was no other choice but to surrender.
But what should I do with the 24th Division that surrendered to Xiangtan? What should I do with my eldest brother? Without the 7th Division that was in charge, can I still gain a foothold in Hunan?
Forget it, I don’t care about so much anymore. When disaster strikes, we will all fly away. Let’s find ways to protect ourselves first.
At this time, Zhang Jingtang finally made a "wise" decision. In any case, Zhang Jingtang believed that he had done his best to be able to fight until this time. If the elder brother wants to blame himself, let him blame it.
He stood up tremblingly, as if he had aged ten years suddenly, and said in a helpless tone: "Order the entire division to stop attacking, defend on the spot, and negotiate"!