Chapter 63 Riverside

After three o'clock in the morning, lights were lit on the platform of Xinmin Railway Station. Trucks parked along the track in the fields near the railway station. Trucks and cars were one after another, thousands of them. At this time, many guards in tea-green military uniforms were hurriedly coming and forth on the platform. Most of them were officers who were responsible for a certain job in the command of the upcoming North Korean Front Army. Their strange young faces were serious and even a little nervous.

Logistics officers are inventorying personnel and various materials nearby, and dispatching radio stations, luggage, weapons and other supplies to the convoys up and down. The cold wind in early spring roared from the wasteland of Liaoyuan, hitting down the last batch of dead leaves on the poplar trees near the platform, blowing them to the platform, patting the legs of these soldiers who were about to go out, and the unique powdery fine sand in northern China hit the bodies of the soldiers.

However, these soldiers who were hastily summoned in the past half month do not seem to feel the cold in the early morning of spring in the northeast. The tension and hurry make them re-enter a new round of war like a clockwork machine. After the resumption of the war, although the two armies did not happen at all on the main battlefield. Large-scale conflict, but on the front line from Fengtian to Andong and from Liaoyang to Yingkou, many fierce battles broke out. In each battle, the guards mobilized at least three times the enemy's troops and quickly captured the towns and traffic checkpoints controlled by the Japanese army. Now with their assembly, everyone understands that the war is about to be rekindled.

From the railway station to the wilderness outside the station, only hurried footsteps and messy and hurried shouts and inquiries were heard, as well as the sound of cars and motorcycles. Under the lights of electric lights, officers and soldiers did not seem to be much different. They were just a small screw on the Imperial War Machine of the Guards. Nail, you only need to be responsible and obedient.

This is the early morning of April 21, 4601, 1905.

When the railway station and the tension in the wilderness were almost ready, the soldiers also boarded the trucks or cars in the prescribed position. At this time, the dim yellow light on the platform seemed a little white and faint - the first morning light had appeared in the eastern sky, and the cold wind was still whistling on the empty platform.

At this time, several cars drove out of the railway station and stopped in the wilderness near the railway station. A burly man walked from the first car. He was Lan Tianwei, who had just been appointed as the commander of the North Korean Front.

The blue sky in a tea-green military uniform will look a little high-spirited. The gold and silver ornaments on the sword around his waist are shining under the lights, and he only wears the Guangfu Memorial Medal and the first-class Yunmo Medal on his chest. Although he has some high-spirited look on his face, his heart is also a kind of hanging fifteen. With the mentality of bucket water, he knows what this battle is. It is the [***] team that fights across the country again. He can imagine what kind of expectation the people of the whole country will look at this "expedition army" composed of eight divisions tomorrow when the news announcement is released.

Several military staff officers came forward to report to Lan Tianwei. All personnel, equipment, equipment and vehicles have been boarded.

"Where's the radio station?"

Lan Tianwei asked urgently. For the military headquarters, the most important thing is communication equipment. The military headquarters must maintain radio communication with the staff and from the division to the regiment. If it is a defensive operation, it must also connect the phone to the infantry company. Communication is the first. This is the most basic combat defense of the Guards. Then.

"Twelve radio stations are equipped with twelve communication vehicles."

Immediately, a young staff officer replied.

Youth may be the biggest feature of this army. The average age of soldiers is 20.35 years old and the average age of officers is 18.7 years old. This may be the oldest army in human history, especially his officers. The average age of officers is less than the average age of soldiers. Perhaps in human history, this is the only one. At that time, the Chinese Imperial Guards.

"Can you start working immediately?"

Lan Tianwei asked again. Until now, he has never had the experience of commanding the regiment. Everything can only be done in accordance with the order. The requirement of the battle order is that "the headquarters must maintain smooth communication at all times".

"No problem, they are all experienced veterans. The radio station is also the latest German radio station. There are enough accessories to ensure communication at all!"

"Director, Tianwei really doesn't know how to say this thank you!"

Lan Tianwei turned to Xiao Yijian, who came down from another car, with full respect in both words and expressions. Although he was not from Huangpu Military Academy, he called Xiao Yijian the director according to Huang Pusheng's habit, and he also understood that the reason why he could be the commander of the Korean army this time. The position is strongly recommended by the director in front of him.

"Thank you! As long as you can win!"

Xiao Yuren shook his head, and then stared at the blue sky.

"Ji Hao, everything on my side is for the front line. As long as you need it, someone will come out, and something will come out.

When Xiao Yuren said this, he did not do anything. In order to form the Korean army, he used the four divisions of the first army to replace the four divisions originally planned to be assigned to the Korean army, and even negotiated with the second army to transfer two divisions from the second army to the Korean army. In the end, although the Korean army was a new army, all six divisions, But all of them have been tested on the battlefield and are full of elites.

"Your Majesty, I'm looking at you!"

Finally, Xiao Yuren said with a long-term warning that although the "Huangpuization of the Guards" was proposed by him, he did not mind appointing non-Huangpu officers in the army, Huangpu of the combat troops, and Lu Shi of the General Staff. In the eyes of the outside world, this is "exclusionant", but in fact, Xiao Yuren, who put forward this suggestion. However, I know that on the one hand, the rejection of dissidents is on the one hand, and on the other hand, the short-term training officers in Huangpu can't bear the responsibility of the staff at all. They can grow up on the battlefield, but they can't make wrong military orders in the staff, causing the sacrifice of the combat troops, so he has always insisted that "the best officers go to the staff".

But when needed, he will suggest that those officers be transferred to the staff and sent to the grassroots forces. Lan Tianwei, Wu Luzhen and Zhang Shaozeng, the "three masters of non-commissioned officers" all served as the commanders of the army under his recommendation, but now Lan Tianwei, a "re republican sympathizer" registered in the investigation bureau, has been appointed as the commander of the first army.

Only Xiao Yiren knew how hard he had spent in the process of persuading His Majesty.

"Please rest assured, Tianwei will live up to your majesty!"

The blue sky was fiercely standing and made a military salute towards Xiao Yan.

"Well, get in the car and go immediately!"

Xiao Yuren nodded, waved his hand, and made a request.

"I wish you a triumph!"

When the team started, Lan Tianwei took another look at the director in front of him and finally added.

"Director, please rest assured, Tian Wei knows the responsibility on his shoulders!"

Xiao Yuren just waved to him with a smile, then nodded and said something.

"Just remember the responsibility. As long as you know that soldiers are soldiers, we are defending the country and doing our duty! Fight your battle well! If you win, you are the hero of the country and the nation. If..."

He did not continue to say, and Lan Tianwei knew what the director wanted to say. If he lost, I'm afraid that not only he himself needed to apologize for his life, but even the whole country would pay the price for his failure. China could not afford to lose!

Immediately, the roar of the car began to roar, and the station buildings retreated from the window one by one. At this time, people in downtown Shenyang were still sleeping sweetly in the early morning. There were few lights in residential areas, and there were shadows of the houses and several street lights with a faint halo. The army lined up out of Shenyang and ran through the Northeast Plain to Andong, an important town by the Yalu River.

In the process of the car, looking at the dust raised by the motorcade, Lan Tianwei slightly reviewed what had happened in the past period of time. What he felt was just a kind of has never been in a hurry. All kinds of things that had to be done came, which made him overwhelmed, but more was... uneasy.

Because he participated in the Restoration Conference and then served in the staff, he understood that for the Chinese Empire, there was an army first, and then a country. Only when the army remained stable can the future of the country be guaranteed. The political creed of the army is "order". The active surname and creative spirit must be subordinate to political leaders, so the Guards must be a moderate, professional and far-away army.

Before the national election, all soldiers who have joined the Restoration Association must make a choice between joining the army and politics, either taking off their military uniforms to become a politician or wearing military uniforms as a professional soldier. From then on, they have completely given up their personal political beliefs only as the shield and sword of the country.

Despite his inner preference for the republicans, after the election of the national system, in order to fulfill the loyalty of the soldiers, he still swore allegiance to His Majesty and the Empire, and his words in support of the republican system made him think that his future might come to an end, but this time His Majesty unexpectedly In addition to uneasiness, there is also a feeling of death for those who know it.

"Allegiance to Your Majesty!"

On the day of the appointment letter, Lan Tianwei hung the portrait of the emperor in the living room of his home in Nanjing for the first time, and then took the army directly to Xinmin and lived in the headquarters of the First Army of Xinmin. After a row, he continued to study the situation of the enemy in North Korea with the director and discuss matters related to the entry of the North Korean army into North Korea. Convene a meeting of officers above the Korean Legion and carry out pre-war mobilization. ... It was not until the early morning of the 21st that he drove to Anton with the headquarters, and then he took a breath.

"April 21st, it has started over there. It's non-stop!"

The blue sky sighed. This time, the expedition is different from the past. This is the first time that the Guards have gone abroad to fight. Although the size of the enemy's troops is far inferior to the past, they are not familiar with geography and people, and they can't speak well in foreign countries. Moreover, most of the materials needed for the troops's operations cannot be replenished on the spot, and they have to rely on domestic supply, which aggravates the logistical difficulties.

But no matter what difficulties there are, we must win this battle.

"You don't have to see it before you leave. When you win, I'll pick you up in Nanjing!"

Lan Tianwei remembered the words of His Majesty when he visited His Majesty as usual before departure. Lan Tianwei felt a great responsibility. His Majesty did not see him, just because he didn't want to hear him say something like "do your best", but told him in this way that what he needed is victory, just victory! There is nothing else to ask for.

For more than ten consecutive days, the blue sky has never slept for three hours on that day, and his eyes were covered with blood. Now when I get in the car, my mind is still dizzy, but strangely, I can't even take a nap.

He leaned his head against the back of the car, squinted, and wanted to rest for a while. For a moment, he opened his eyes again.

"Now the troops should cross the Yalu River!"

"S sir, according to the plan, the main force of the army should have crossed the Yalu River an hour ago!"

The staff officer's answer made Lan Tianwei's eyes wide open again.

"Oh, I know. Didn't 800 trainee staff officers be sent to Huangpu Eleven? Have they arrived at the army? This is what Your Majesty has designated! Be sure to ensure that these officers enter regimental and battalion-level troops, and we must train qualified staff officers in the war!"

After getting the affirmative answer, Lan Tianwei seemed to be relieved.

It is very difficult for people to change their beliefs, and now Lan Tianwei is trying to change her beliefs from a republican to a professional soldier. As a soldier, the only thing he needs is loyalty. Soldiers do not need political beliefs. But what is this loyalty? To the country, to the emperor, to the people... Now he can't get that answer.

"Well, let's do this for the time being."

Although he breathed a sigh of relief, in his heart, Lan Tianwei was still a little uneasy. Now the troops are crossing the Yalu River. The troops crossing the river actually hit the Japanese army with a time difference. The Japanese army is a wing stationed in Yizhou, 18.5 kilometers away from the mouth of the Yalu River. While the troops seized Andong, they have The telephone and telegraph lines were cut off, and the Jiangkou engineering railway bridge was robbed, and then Anton was captured in half an hour. The first batch of troops entering North Korea were two sharp knife battalions, who were responsible for blocking the enemy of Yizhou reinforcements.

In the evening of April 20, 4603, after capturing Andong County with a regiment, six divisions of the Chinese Imperial Guards crossed the Yalu River in three ways. The 40th and 39th Divisions and the 1st Artillery Division crossed the Yalu River from the Anton Railway Engineer Bridge.

The 38th Division, the 1st and the 2nd Artillery Division crossed the Yalu River from the mouth of the Changdian River through the engineering pontoon bridge, and the 32nd Division, the 42nd Division and the 8th Artillery Brigade crossed the Yalu River from Ji'an via the floating bridge.

All the troops crossing the river followed the order of the staff. In order to keep secrets strictly, in the process of the marching in the past 13 days, they sent four times the search troops. In the process of marching along the mountains and forests, it was found that the bandits were wiped out on the spot, and the civilians were detained at the rate, and sometimes even kept confidential. Take decisive measures.

At the same time, with the help of other troops' actions to cover up the direction of the army's attack. Yesterday afternoon, after the 135th Regiment captured Andong County, when night fell, on the Yalu River engineering railway bridge, the 40th Division of the Guards grabbed the Yalu River for the first time. At the same time, at the ferry on the Yalu River, the pontoon bridge connected by wooden boats crossed the river. The team quickly crossed the river, and cars and artillery tractors rumbled across the pontoon bridge. Before dawn, the main force of the troops crossing the river had been hidden in the mountains and forests, showing almost no trace.

And the cold wind in early spring wrapped the withered branches and leaves in winter on the waves of the Yalu River. When night is coming in Andong County, there is no light in the execution of the sky ban on Andong, only the stars blinking their yellow eyes in the air, as if to show the uneasiness before the war.

A car drove out of Andong County and drove south at night to the Yalu River Gongbing Road Bridge. Wu Luzhen sat in the car and watched the 40th Division advancing rapidly to the south on the bridge.

Like any Guard unit, these soldiers carried rifles, dry food bags and bullet bags on their shoulders, one by one, strode south and quickly crossed the railway bridge to enter North Korea. The whole process was not noisy, there were no strange words, and the movements were fast and consistent. Every simple or witty face showed a sacred sense of mission. This was the first time in many years that the Chinese [***] team went abroad.

As their commander, Wu Luzhen is familiar with these soldiers. Most of them are from peasant background. At the beginning, they were no different from the food of the Manqing Dynasty. They came to be soldiers for a real salary of 10 yuan a month, which was nothing more than soldiers to eat food and food.

But what about now? Under the guidance of the officers over and over again, they knew why they fought for the country and the nation. For the first time, under the instructions of the officers, the soldiers understood that the fate of individuals and the country were closely related.

Perhaps this is the two contradictory concepts in the Guards. They should be moderate, professional and far away from politics, as well as the fanatical, huge and enthusiastic national soldiers who participate in society, professional officers and fanatical troops. I'm afraid this contradiction only exists in China, but no matter what, it is now the national lord. The rightely armed guards, both in the past and now, have fought bravely and are not afraid of sacrifice... Today, when the country needs them, they all cross the Yalu River without hesitation and fight for the fate and future of the country.

"The guards are the children of the people and the essence of the people. They embodied the will of the people... In the face of danger and sacrifice, they do not know to fear and retreat. They only know how to kill the enemy bravely and serve the country."

repeatedly muttered his majesty's previous instructions, but because of this, as an officer, he deeply felt that he had the responsibility to love them, lead them to defeat the enemy and reduce unnecessary casualties.

But can you do it yourself? To be honest, Wu Luzhen was not sure, but he repeatedly told himself: he must... must... must lead them to victory!

"The rise and fall of China, in this war!"

As soon as she gritted her teeth, Wu Luzhen's eyes stared at the land on the other side. Whether it was the honor or disgrace of the individual or the country, it would be decided by this war.

(to be continued)