The next morning, after all the officers and soldiers had breakfast and assembled, Zhang Tianhe ordered the entire army to march towards Taonan.
Taonan, close to Inner Mongolia, is on the right side of the 800-mile vast sea and the Horqin Grassland. It is a vast prairie with many swamps, mosquitoes, wolves and Mongolian bandits.
After walking for ten days, Zhang Tianhe's five battalions of troops arrived at the border of Taonan. Fortunately, they did not encounter Mongolian bandits along the way. Zhang Tianhe ordered to set up camp on a hillside, building fortifications, training troops, and releasing them. The sentinel inquired about the movements of the Mongolian bandits.
It was summer, and the mosquitoes there were frighteningly large, each one bigger than a bee. I heard they were imported from Tsarist Russia. The people were kinder, but the horse couldn't stand the stings.
Zhang Tianhe and the others didn't have many horses to begin with, but being bitten by mosquitoes weakened their fighting power even more.
Zhang Tianhe knew that each of the Mongolian bandits was equipped with two horses. When one horse was tired, he could replace it with a second one. Moreover, the Mongolian bandits were equipped with well-bred Mongolian horses, which were tall and fat, but the horses in their own army were incomparable with Mongolian horses.
For this reason, Zhang Tianhe was very anxious. He discussed with Du Lisi, Liu Bodu and others and decided to send someone to spend a lot of money to purchase a batch of high-breed Mongolian horses.
On the third day Zhang Tianhe was stationed here, at noon that day, a guard ran over and reported to him: "Report to Commander Zhang, there are two Japanese coming outside the camp gate."
"What? Japanese?" Zhang Tianhe was surprised after hearing this.
"Yes. He seems to be your friend, his name is Major Kawamoto." The guard said.
"We just arrived here, how did he know?" Zhang Tianhe felt very strange.
"That's not clear."
"Please wait for him until I come out of the camp to greet him personally, and others will stay away for now," Zhang Tianhe said.
"Yes." everyone replied.
Zhang Tianhe came to the camp gate and took a look. Sure enough, it was Major Kawamoto and the previous translator.
"Zhang Jun, long time no see, hello." After seeing Zhang Tianhe, Major Kawamoto and the translator made a ninety-degree bow.
"Mr. Kawamoto, I didn't expect that we could still meet here." Zhang Tianhe said.
"There is a saying in China that we meet each other everywhere in life." Kawamoto said with a smile.
"Mr. Kawamoto, please come inside." Zhang Tianhe said.
"Jun Zhang, please."
After the two entered the tent, the guest and host took their seats. The translator stood behind Kawamoto, ready to translate for him at any time. In fact, Kawamoto spoke Chinese so fluently that there was no need for an interpreter at all.
The guards offered tea.
"Zhang Jun, I really didn't expect that the last time we saw you, you would transform from the captain of the Chenjiayu Security Team to the commander of the Qing Army's fifth battalion. The speed at which you were promoted is really unimaginable, and I'm here He’s just a major now.”
"Mr. Kawamoto, you are joking. What does it mean to me? I heard that your Japanese officers are very practical. You, the major, are already a very high official." Zhang Tianhe said.
"No matter what, we are old friends. I would like to congratulate you on your promotion to the commander of the fifth battalion." Kawamoto said.
"Thank you."
"Zhang Jun, I think you must feel strange about my arrival today, right?" Kawamoto asked.
"Mr. Kawamoto, please speak directly if you have anything to say." Zhang Tianhe said.
"Happy! Zhang Jun, I appreciate your fast-talking personality. I think you should have heard that our intelligence work can be said to be world-class. Your every move is under our control, so , we already knew it when you arrived here; I came here today firstly to visit you, an old friend. Since the last time we said goodbye, I have missed you very much; secondly, as a friend, I advise you not to fight. Mongolian Taoke Taohu and Babu Zabu's tribe." Kawamoto said.
"Oh why?"
"First, Mr. Zhang, I think you are a smart man. If you go to attack the Mongolian Taoke Taohu and Babu Zabu's troops, it is equivalent to sending yourself to death. This is a trick of the governor Zhao Erxun and the prefect of Pingquan Zhang Xiluan to borrow a knife to kill people." , I don’t think you can’t see this. They want to use the help of Mongolian Taoke Taohu and Babu Zabu’s troops to get rid of you quickly; secondly, I know that you have many talents and advisers. Like the clouds, the generals are like the rain. You are also very good at training troops. However, it is not that I underestimate you. You can only have five battalions of men and horses at best. How can you compare with the Mongolian cavalry of ten thousand people? There is a huge disparity in strength, not to mention the geographical terrain. We are very familiar with each other, but you have just arrived, and your eyesight is dark. Your horses, equipment, and artillery are not as good as others. Thirdly, I want to make one point clear to you. Mongolian Taoke Taohu and Babu Zabu The reason why the Ministry is so powerful is inseparable from the support of our Japanese military. They need guns for guns, guns for guns, and intelligence for intelligence. I remember when you were the security captain in Chenjiayu, you used to flee from the ground Long and the others snatched a batch of arms and war horses from their hands. I think you haven't forgotten this, right?" Kawamoto said, staring at Zhang Tianhe.
"Mr. Kawamoto, you can't say that what you said is unreasonable, but we Chinese also have a saying: 'Knowing that there are tigers in the mountains, you prefer to go to the tiger mountains.' As for whether the Governor-General and the Magistrate are framing me, or killing someone with a borrowed knife, I don’t want to know, I only know that I am a soldier, and soldiers take obedience as their bounden duty. Whatever I am ordered to do, I must resolutely and thoroughly implement it." Zhang Tianhe said.
"Zhang Jun, I respect you as a man and a hero. I personally admire you very much. As an old friend, I have to give you good advice. The previous Qingfeng Village and Hongmakan were great, but compared with the Mongolian Taoke Taohu Compared with Babu Zabu's troops, it can be said to be insignificant and not worth mentioning. This time, I can give you a suggestion. You can stay nearby for a period of time, and then return to Pingquan Mansion. He said that the troops of Mongolian Taoke Taohu and Babu Zabu could not be found, so they could not be exterminated. I think the governor could not do anything to you," Kawamoto said.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I can also tell you, either I won't come. Now that I'm here, I will never go back without completely wiping out the Mongolian bandits, even if I fight to the last soldier." Zhang Tianhe said.
"Zhang Jun, well, since you don't listen to my good advice, you will regret it sometimes. I hope that this is our farewell, not forever, and that we will still have the opportunity to meet each other." Kawamoto said.
"Then when I finish wiping out the Mongolian bandits and hold a celebration banquet, you are welcome to attend." Zhang Tianhe said.
"Okay, if one day comes, I will definitely come to participate," Kawamoto said. "If we talk about business, you are the commander of the Qing army, and I am a major in the Japanese military. We are each our own masters; if we talk about private matters, I think we He is a rare confidant, so if you encounter any difficulties without violating your principles, just tell me and I will definitely help you as long as I can help you."
"Then I would like to thank Mr. Kawamoto first." Zhang Tianhe said.
"You're welcome, take care, and say goodbye." After Kawamoto finished speaking, he stood up, saluted Zhang Tianhe again, and then turned around and left.
