As long as the Japanese took off the mask of "Chinese-Japanese friendship", they would have no problem getting enough food and money for a division to consume for half a month. Shanxi merchants were famous for their wealth.
It was just this kind of pig-killing plunder that ruined the reputation of the Japanese throughout Taiyuan. Many gentry and wealthy businessmen who originally wanted to be obedient people saw the true face of the Japanese and gradually transferred their wealth out of Taiyuan;
Taiyuan's economy has become increasingly depressed, and the Japanese's tax revenue has dropped significantly, forcing the Japanese to continue to attack more docile people. This has led to a vicious cycle, and the Japanese rule in Hedong will become increasingly difficult in the future.
Xiao Zhuoyi'nan can no longer control so much. He is now focused on raising food and military supplies to support the Hengshan detachment.
Since Xiao Zhuoyi's cruelty, he quickly prepared a batch of food and ammunition, which was airdropped to the Wangjiawa Japs position that day, temporarily stabilizing the Hengshan detachment that was on the verge of collapse.
Before dark, the large army led by Chu Xiong also rushed to Chenjialing and completely blocked the Japanese in a narrow area of 6 kilometers from east to west and more than 500 meters from north to south of Wangjiawa.
After Chu Xiong arrived at Chenjialing, he added six more companies to the Second Battalion from the mountain roads on both sides overnight, so that the Second Battalion had enough troops to surround the Japanese.
In the nameless highland, the first company is holding a frontline branch committee meeting, and the first company commander Ye Daochen is making a final concluding speech:
"Comrades, there are only 156 people left in the company including the wounded, and 192 people have died!
Our casualties were heavy, but the Japanese casualties were even greater. No fewer than 700 Japanese fell in front of our first company position;
The most important thing is that we held the Japs firmly in front of the position and made an indelible contribution to the main force's encirclement and annihilation of the Japs. The people will not forget us! "
"In order to facilitate the command, the branch committee decided to reduce the establishment to three platoons. We will start to shrink the defense line tomorrow and stick to the core position. As long as the people are in the position, even if we hit the last person, we will never let a Japanese protrude from our position. go!"
"I now announce that if I die, the first platoon leader Wang Qiang will take over the command. If the first platoon leader dies, the second platoon leader, the third platoon leader, or even the first squad leader and the second squad leader will take over!"
"The instructor is injured. I will temporarily take over the position of instructor. Do you have any opinions?"
"No!"
"No!!"
All platoon leaders expressed no objections, and everyone was mentally prepared for a decisive battle. It can be imagined that the battle after dawn will be more cruel, and everyone may die, but everyone has no hesitation and sacrifices in fighting the Japanese. A worthy death on the battlefield.
After the meeting, the company organized its troops overnight and then began to strengthen their positions, waiting for new battles after dawn.
At around three o'clock in the morning, Ye Daochen was leading the soldiers in full swing when platoon leader Wang Qiang came over excitedly and reported:
"Company commander, company commander, our reinforcements are here! The regiment commander has brought the main force to support us!"
There was a burst of cheers on the battlefield!
"Hello, Captain Ye, I am Xia Dayong, commander of the 8th company of the garrison battalion. The commander asked our 8th and 9th companies to come over to support you. You will be under your unified command. Please assign combat tasks to us!"
When Ye Daochen heard this, he immediately became energetic and asked Xia Dayong directly:
"Company Commander Xia, how many people are there in your company? Do you have enough ammunition?"
"Captain Ye, our two companies suffered more than 30 casualties in the battle at Liuzhen. All the wounded have been sent to the old camp for medical treatment by fellow villagers. The total number is 366, and the ammunition is still sufficient."
Ye Daochen was relieved now. Together with the remaining comrades of the company, the available troops already exceeded 500. There was no problem in holding the position without any problem. Even the Japanese had no chance of flying out this time.
A red sun rose again, and both warring parties were strengthened. With the airdrop supply of food and ammunition at any cost, the Japs could barely sustain themselves, at least they would not starve to death, and their morale also improved a lot.
More than 4,000 of them were gathered into a group, and it would not be easy to annihilate them unless Chu Xiong paid no attention to the cost.
After the Second Battalion was supplemented by 6 companies, the total number of people increased to more than 2,400. The Third Battalion suffered relatively fewer casualties, with more than 1,400 people, while their opponent Asada Battalion only had more than 400 people left to resist. ;
The third battalion only blocked the exit and was not in a hurry to attack the corridor. The hundreds of people from Asada's brigade did not have the strength to open the exit. The two sides were temporarily in a standoff.
In the direction of Chenjialing, Chu Xiong brought 14 companies from the Mobile Battalion and the Garrison Battalion, and reinforced them with 6 companies from the Second Battalion. There were 8 companies left, with more than 1,400 people. Including the cavalry company, and the militia companies of each village, the total strength exceeded 2,500 people.
In Wangjiawa, more than 6,000 people from the Independent Regiment surrounded more than 4,000 Japs. On the outside, the Japs were mobilizing the 7th Independent Brigade and three brigades from Zezhou and Luzhou directions, with a total force of more than 10,000;
The troops Chuxiong used for reinforcements included the 1st Battalion, the Qinglongshan Guerrilla Brigade, the 1st Independent Company, and the 2nd Independent Company, with a total strength of about 4,000 people. This was already most of the assets that the Independent Regiment could gather.
There are only four battalions of the second company, third company, guard company, artillery battalion and other troops left in the base area, with more than 1,000 people. These people have to guard the old camp and cannot be moved.
The situation has become very clear. Chu Xiong is going to use the 4,000 men from the periphery to block the Japanese reinforcements, and use the 6,000 men from Wangjiawa to eat the more than 4,000 men from the Hengshan detachment!
Chenjialing, former enemy headquarters of the Independent Regiment
Chief of Staff Zhong Guoliang asked Chu Xiong for instructions:
"Captain, all the comrades supporting the second battalion are in place, and the Japanese have been surrounded by us;
The ghosts brought news that a total of 3 brigades of Japanese troops from the 7th Regiment and the 29th Regiment from the Zezhou and Luzhou directions had been dispatched and would arrive in Anping City in two days at the latest;
The 7th Independent Brigade in the direction of Taiyuan is also gathering. They have collected enough supplies on the spot and can be dispatched in three days at the latest. There is not much time left for us. Do we need to launch a general attack? "
Chu Xiong has delegated the ghost's authority to the regiment headquarters. In order not to cause trouble for himself in the future, all hidden forces have been handed over to the regiment party committee.
Chu Xiong thought for a while and said:
"Order Li Qing to leave the guerrilla brigade to provide reinforcements. The first battalion, the first independent company, and the second independent company mobilize the masses to use the night to evacuate Anping City, seize the Japanese ammunition, and send all the baggage to Wangjiawa!"
"Order Yan Haoyu of the Qinglong Mountain Guerrilla Brigade to arrange in steps. After contacting the Japanese reinforcements, they will only be able to hold off the Japanese reinforcements for one day. After one day, they will use the cover of night to withdraw to Qinglong Mountain and leave the empty city of Anping to the Japanese."
"It will take at least one day for the Japanese reinforcements to arrive at Wangjiawa from Anping City, which means we still have 4 days to slowly wear down the Japanese in the Hengshan detachment. In order to reduce the damage caused by Japanese aircraft, starting today, we will defend during the day and attack at night. It will take three nights to annihilate the Hengshan detachment, and we must give full play to our army's characteristics of being good at night fighting and close combat, and eat the Japanese one by one!"
Chu Xiong finally made up his final determination to fight. Zhong Guoliang also notified all the troops of the order. The entire independent regiment was operating at high speed again, and the countdown to the encirclement and annihilation of the Hengshan detachment entered.
