During this counter-sweep, almost a regiment's equipment was seized in the base area and all was transported to the old camp for storage;
Chu Xiong did not plan to expand the main force battalion for the time being. He only selected some veterans of the garrison company from the old camp at Shenxianling to supplement the attrition of this battle. The establishment of the main force remained unchanged.
Among the 2,000 young men mobilized from Anping City, 1,000 new soldiers were recruited, and the garrison company was responsible for training. As reserve soldiers, the base area could not afford to support any more.
The current base area is in dire straits and needs to be developed for a period of time. Things will get better after the winter grain harvest.
Chu Xiong considered that the main force could not be kept in Liuzhen all the time and had to find something for them to do. In Li Yunlong's words, he had to go out and do some side business to reduce the burden on the base area.
After having this idea, he convened a meeting with several company commanders to deploy the next stage of combat missions:
"Comrades, now is the time when the base area is experiencing a drought, and there are still a few months left before the winter harvest. The more than 1,000 people in our battalion, who are the main force of the camp, have to eat horse chews, which consumes a lot of food. I, the mother-in-law in the base area, are temporarily raising I’m sorry for you!”
Chu Xiong's words caused everyone to burst into laughter. Thinking about it, all of them were strong men and had to consume thousands of kilograms of food a day. Battalion Commander Chu, the head of the family, began to cry for poverty.
Chu Xiong swallowed and continued:
"You guys have to go out and be my customers. The four main companies, except for the fourth company and the machine gun company that stay at the base, the rest of the personnel, in company units, all go out to do side jobs for me!"
"Each company will demarcate an area for you, carry a radio, and keep in touch with the battalion headquarters at all times. You can assemble when you need to do important things."
"I will give each of you ten days of rations and a basic amount of ammunition. You can attack artillery towers, pull out strongholds, knock out Japanese saplings, and carry out bandits' dens. Anyway, in one sentence, you can't do business at a loss. !”
"70% of what you earn will be handed over to the old camp, and 30% will be kept for you to eat. The instructor will be responsible for harvesting honey for you from now on. Revolutionary work depends on self-consciousness!"
Several company commanders had already understood Chu Xiong's words, and they were all excitedly gearing up.
"Batalion Commander, are there any restrictions on how we can recruit troops?"
Li Qing's question almost represents the thoughts of several other people.
Chu Xiong thought for a while and said:
“It’s better to have less than too much, pay attention to the quality, and don’t try to recruit all the crooked melons and dates into the team! On the basis of grasping this principle, the more the merrier!”
After Chu Xiong finished speaking, he turned to Gao Wancheng and said:
"Lao Gao, you are responsible for staying at the base and receiving the equipment and supplies they handed over. I will lead the Tigers and the cavalry platoon to act alone. For a long time in the future, they will all develop on the periphery. Liuzhen will gradually become an old camp. My words It’s over, tell everyone.”
Chu Xiong had communicated his thoughts with him privately, and what he wanted to emphasize was naturally the political work aspect:
"Comrades, the battalion commander's words have been very clear. I will emphasize a few points:
First, all political work systems must be implemented without compromise and cannot be like letting a duck go;
Second, when recruiting troops and building new base areas outside, we must follow the Liuzhen model. We must respect politics and rules, and we must not act recklessly;
The third is to maintain the purity of the team at all times. Always remember that the team belongs to the organization and not to any one of you. Organizational disciplines must not be forgotten at any time!
Fourth, report anything you are unsure about to the battalion headquarters! "
"Okay, that's all, the rest is up to everyone."
After Gao Wancheng finished speaking, Chu Xiong announced the end of the meeting, and Gao Wancheng began to mobilize the masses to prepare dry food for them for a week.
Three days later, after each company received their equipment and supplies, they left Liuzhen. Chu Xiong also said goodbye to Gao Wancheng, and took Duhu and the cavalry platoon to find trouble with the Japanese.
Gao Wancheng, Yang Wei, and Zhong Guoliang stayed in the base area. Yang Wei was responsible for training new recruits in the old camp, Zhong Guoliang was in charge of militia training, and Gao Wancheng took charge of the overall situation, playing the role of Xiao He.
Li Qing's company was assigned to the vicinity of Majia Village, which had a certain mass base before. There was a supply line for the Japanese there. The old seventh company had previously ambushed the Japanese in Liujiawa. Many of the possessions of the independent battalion were still saved from that battle. down.
In order to avoid the eyes of the Japanese and puppet troops, Li Qing took two days to hide near Majia Village and lurked near Majia Village.
Perhaps because he had tasted the benefits of fighting transportation lines before, Li Qing planned to put the first battle after dividing his troops on the Japanese transportation lines. One opening can last for a long time.
Without intelligence support, he could only wait and see what happened. Li Qing believed that he would be able to gain something.
As a result, we had to wait for three days. The Japanese transport team did not arrive, but there was the faint sound of gunfire.
"Company commander, it's the voice of Sanba Dagai coming from the direction of Majia Village!"
Li Qing naturally heard it and immediately led the company straight to Majia Village.
In Majia Village, a group of Japs and puppet soldiers were searching for people from house to house. Several people saw that the situation was not good and wanted to run away, but were shot by the Japs. The others were driven to the grain drying field at the east end of the village.
Japs and puppet troops were surrounding them, and machine guns were set up. The black muzzles of the guns were pointed at the villagers, with the intention of massacring the villagers if they disagreed.
Majia Village squire Ma Sihai and village chief Ma Qijin were also captured by the Japanese. The unlucky Ma Qijin was hit by the Japanese with the butt of a rifle and had two teeth knocked out. It seems that being a village chief in these days is also dangerous. Big, useless teeth!
Half an hour later, the Japanese officer leading the team saw that everyone had arrived. He held a command knife and began to lecture. Next to him was an airy translator carrying a bastard box. He was an acquaintance of Majia Village.
Ma Jinbiao, the distant nephew of the patriarch Ma Sihai, was sent to the Eastern Japan country to study at Ma Sihai's early years. He originally wanted to cultivate a pillar of talent, but ended up raising a white-eyed wolf.
The Japanese commander chirped a lot of bird language, but he didn't know what he said. Even Ma Sihai didn't understand a word.
After the Japanese commander finished speaking, he motioned to the translator Ma Jinbiao to translate. Now it was his turn to be proud. He stood forward behind the golden sword, cleared his throat, and said loudly:
"Young and old men, I, Ma Jinbiao, am back again. Those who have offended me before will not remember the faults of villains. This time the Imperial Army has important errands for you!"
At this point, Ma Jinbiao felt that the momentum was not enough, so he pulled out the tortoise box from his body, and then continued:
"Matsushita Taijun said that the imperial army wants to establish a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity. Majia Village must provide 10,000 jins of fine grain, 500 jins of meat, and 5,000 silver dollars. They must hand it over within one hour, otherwise they will all die!"
The villagers were dumbfounded when they heard this. Now is the lean season. Let alone 10,000 kilograms of grain, they can't even make up 2,000 kilograms. Isn't this costing the lives of the villagers?
Ma Qijin started to speak. He was the village chief after all, so he could only bite the bullet.
