After experiencing the disastrous defeat in the Battle of Yuci, the Japanese have been resting and recuperating. The vast rural area has become a power vacuum. In addition to the regiment headquarters and directly affiliated troops of the 882 Regiment that stayed in Nirvana, the three main battalions were dispersed, just like Dandelions flying all over the sky take root as soon as they fall to the ground.
In just one month, anti-Japanese armed forces sprung up in the eastern mountains of Yuci, almost replicating the Liuzhen model.
Villages have village committees and local political power has been established at the township and town levels. Each village has a militia company or platoon. A large number of capable and efficient armed work teams go deep into the vast countryside to arm and mobilize the masses.
When the main force of the Independent Brigade withdrew, a large amount of captured equipment was left behind. There were more than 5,000 Type 38 rifles alone, more than 200 light and heavy machine guns, and bullets and grenades were piled up in Nirvana's warehouses.
The main force of the independent brigade cannot be brought back at all, so it is better to leave it to Li Qing.
Therefore, the 882nd Regiment is very willing to spend money on armed militia, a standard prodigal!
The militia company in Wangcun has three infantry platoons and one firepower platoon;
The infantry is divided into four squads of 10 people. Tactics adopt a simplified version of the three-by-three system, focusing on guerrilla warfare training.
The firepower platoon is equipped with three self-made mine cannons with a range of about 150 meters. The barrels are captured gasoline barrels. The explosive packs also use picric acid explosives. Together with one squad of infantry, the total number is 40 people;
The production method of this thing is very simple, and the materials are easy to find. The Chinese people's talent in copying made it easy for them to create a simplified version of the flying thunder cannon.
In addition to the militia company, Wangcun also has an armed work team, which is the platoon brought by Gao Feng.
Wang Village is the key village selected by Gaofeng, so the configuration of the military workers team is high-equipped, and other villages are all in the same team;
Xiong Jun led the second platoon and the fire platoon equipped with 6 Mulan cannons to stay in the town to mobilize the masses;
The three rows of grenade squads were all dismantled and dispersed into three infantry squads, and then reorganized into four infantry squads, each of 13 men, equipped with a grenade squad as supporting firepower.
Such a class is an armed workers team, one in each village, and it is up to him to mobilize the masses and armed actions.
After the first company commander Xiong Jun transformed the puppet platoon in the town, he recruited more than 60 new soldiers in the town, which increased the main force in the town to more than 180 people;
Among them, there were 94 veterans of the original independent brigade and 27 captured soldiers of the puppet army. They trained for more than a month using the method of bringing the old with the new, and completely controlled Black Spring Town.
In the Zhang family compound, Zhang Shijie had a gloomy face. What he had been worried about had happened.
"Master, our salt was seized by the Eighth Route Army in the town. More than 20 people were killed and wounded in the escort. The leader was Xiong Jun, a company commander named Gao. He had a hundred or ten people under him, most of whom were recruited from the town. It’s so painful haha.”
The bad news brought back by the housekeeper Zhang Zhong made the Zhang family and his son furious. Private salt was the foundation of the Zhang family, and the Eighth Route Army was trying to dig out the foundation of the Zhang family.
In ancient times, Hedong was regarded as a place that must be controlled by emperors of all dynasties. In addition to its unique geographical location, Hedong was also rich in copper and salt. Both of these materials were strategic materials in ancient times. It can be said that whoever controls Hedong controls it. Can compete for the copper and salt in the world.
Both of these strategic materials are produced in the Zhongtiao Mountain area. The Hedong Salt Pond is world-famous, and the salt produced supplies the entire north;
The Zhang family's private salt came from there, and was smuggled through the Taihang Jing Road to the Central Plains, Jizhou and other places where there was a shortage of salt, earning more than ten times the profit.
After learning that the Eighth Route Army had detained the Zhang family's private salt, Zhang Wenlong was the first to jump out and said angrily:
"Dad, the Eighth Route Army bullies people too much. Our Zhang family can't bear it anymore. There are only a hundred people in Heiquan Town, and less than half of the real Eighth Route Army;
We mobilized troops overnight, pretended to be bandits, and bloodbathed Black Spring Town! "
As expected, the private salt dealers are all ruthless people. The one who licks the blood on his knife head will wash away the blood of Black Spring Town with just one mouthful.
Zhang Shijie finally spoke:
"Boss, how many times have I told you, don't be so irritable, don't do it yourself unless absolutely necessary;
Money can make all the difference, so why pretend to be a bandit? You have to learn how to kill with a borrowed knife. The bandits in Heifeng Village have been raising them for so many years. It's time to let them go. "
After Zhang Shijie finished speaking, he turned to the housekeeper and said:
"Zhang Zhong, take 5,000 silver dollars and go to Heifeng Village in Purple Mountain;
Tell Fatty Liu that after the bloodbath in Black Spring Town, I only want the salt, and everything else belongs to him. "
After Zhang Zhong left, Zhang Shijie said to Zhang Wenlong:
"Boss, you lead all the escorts to disguise themselves as the Eighth Route Army and ambush them at the foot of Purple Mountain. Once Fatty Liu returns to Heifeng Village, you will kill them;
The Eighth Route Army must not let the Eighth Route Army know that what happened in Black Spring Town has anything to do with us. Remember, only dead people keep secrets. "
“Dad, I understand, don’t worry, Fatty Liu will not be allowed to return to Black Wind Village alive;
Fatty Liu has saved a lot of money in the past few years, which is an advantage for us. "
The Zhang father and son smiled alike, resembling two venomous snakes. Since ancient times, salt owls have not been vegetarians.
In the Wang family compound, the Wang family and his son are also paying attention to the confiscation of the Zhang family's private salt.
Wang Zimo said with some gloating:
"Father, as you expected, as soon as the Eighth Route Army established a firm foothold in Black Spring Town, it began to attack the Zhang family's private salt business. This time the Zhang family suffered heavy losses."
Wang Bodao did not answer Wang Zimo's words. Instead, he turned to the housekeeper Wang Zheng and said:
"Is there any movement over at the Zhang family?"
"Sir, according to the Zhang family's informants, Butler Zhang secretly left the village last night."
A meaningful smile appeared on Wang Bodao's face, which made Wang Zimo confused.
"Dad, as far as I know, the Zhang family's salt guard team of 300 people has not left the village. How much trouble can a butler afford?"
After hearing this, Wang Bodao shook his head and said to himself:
"Zimo still lacks experience, he is too naive!"
He should also be made aware of some things that are not on the table.
"Zimo, the Zhang family is a salt lord, and they make a living by licking blood from the blades of knives. The three hundred salt guards are all there for the sake of it;
Just like the salt he sells, there is official salt and private salt. "
"Father, are you saying that the Zhang family still has a shady force outside?"
Wang Zimo is worthy of being the successor that the aristocratic family has focused on cultivating, that's all.
Wang Bodao nodded and said:
"That's for sure, Cunning Rabbit Three Caves, these are the leftovers from our aristocratic family's fun;
In such troubled times, who would put eggs in one basket? "
Prince Mo Mo ran, because the Wang family is not just a member of the Wang family compound. If the Wang family can do it, the Zhang family will naturally do it too.
"Father, the Zhang family really dare to attack the Eighth Route Army?
Although there is only No. 100 Eighth Route Army in the town, their strength is also more than what they show on the surface, right? "
Wang Bodao touched the beard on his chin and saw that he was very satisfied with Wang Zimo's performance.
"Zimo, the Zhang family still lacks knowledge. If I guess correctly, they plan to come here to hide it."
"Father, if we hadn't given some hints to Battalion Commander Gao, would we have sold a good deal to the Eighth Route Army?"
"Zimo, the Zhang family is looking for death. Whether it's the Eighth Route Army or the government, they are all heroes fighting for the world. It's not the turn of a private salt dealer to show his teeth at them. Let's just wait and watch the show.
As for warning the Eighth Route Army, there is no need to do so. Our Wang family is a kind family, we have cultivated and studied the family and do not understand these twists and turns. Those are all things done by heroes. "
Wang Zimo finally understood what his father meant. The Wang family was a kind family, doing the right thing and following the right path;
Don't take the initiative to lean on the Eighth Route, nor oppose it. Everything goes with the flow. This is the way for a family to survive.
