Chapter 98

Upon hearing the news of the Red Army's Independent Division capturing Xichang, Liu Wenhui, who was far away in Ya'an, indeed appeared very angry. But he also knew that when the Xichang garrison requested reinforcements, he had not sent any troops to support them.

It wasn't that Liu Wenhui didn't want to send reinforcements, but his available forces were very limited. Apart from the two main divisions guarding Ya'an, most of the troops stationed in various cities along the Sichuan border were soldiers recruited locally over time.

Although the officers in these county towns were dispatched from his own forces, Liu Wenhui was very clear about the strength of these units. Compared to Liu Xiang's forces, his Sichuan Army was poorly equipped.

When the main Red Army forces advanced into the Sichuan border region, Liu Wenhui immediately realized that the territory under his rule was about to face a storm of blood and violence. Neither the leading Red Army units nor the subsequent encircling forces were easy to deal with.

What made Liu Wenhui even more angry was the Yunnan Army, which clearly had the strength to block the Red Army but seemed to have let the main Red Army forces cross the Jinsha River easily and enter the Sichuan border region under his control.

Although the Sichuan border was a barren land, both Long Yun of Yunnan and Liu Xiang of Sichuan, and even the former Wang Jialie, had thought about expanding their influence into this area. One could say that Liu Wenhui, the ruler of the Sichuan border, felt very frustrated.

Now, Chiang Kai-shek's telegrams were almost daily, strictly ordering him to block the Red Army at the Ya'an line. Even if he couldn't completely annihilate the Red Army entering the Sichuan border, he had to stop them within the Sichuan border and wait for the subsequent reinforcements to encircle them.

But with the limited forces at his disposal, how could he possibly achieve this? What Liu Wenhui could do now was to defend the prosperous Ya'an to the death. As for where the Red Army would go next, he couldn't care less!

It was precisely because of this that the Independent Division, with its three main regiments advancing together, headed straight for Ya'an. Along the way, the garrison forces Liu Wenhui had deployed in various places were powerless against the sharp spearhead of the Independent Division.

Even if some garrison commanders were unwilling to surrender without a fight, they could not withstand the main regiment of the Independent Division, which was equipped with a mortar company. After a few rounds of artillery fire, the inexperienced soldiers would collapse.

Faced with this situation, these garrison commanders, despite their desire to resist, were powerless to change the outcome. As a result, He Zhengdao, leading the Fourth Regiment and the New Regiment, had a smooth journey and arrived smoothly at Hanyuan, south of Ya'an.

Upon arriving in Hanyuan, He Zhengdao did not continue to advance. Instead, he stopped in Hanyuan and dispatched the Fourth Regiment outside the city to begin constructing defensive works. This action puzzled Liu Wenhui, who was far away in Ya'an.

Looking at the map on the wall, Liu Wenhui asked with a hint of inquiry, "Chief of Staff, what do you think the Independent Division's sudden halt in Hanyuan means? Could it be that they don't want to attack Ya'an?"

As the ruler of the Sichuan border, Liu Wenhui was very clear that the economy of the Sichuan border was not developed, and even the grain production was low. Although the Independent Division had won several consecutive battles, the amount of supplies they could seize was probably not much.

If they didn't intend to establish a base in the Sichuan border, then capturing Ya'an, the most prosperous city in the Sichuan border, would ensure that the Red Army wouldn't have to worry about supplies for a short time.

In response to Liu Wenhui's question, the Chief of Staff thought for a moment and said, "Commander, according to the intelligence we have, the Independent Division in Hanyuan seems to have only two regiments, while the other three regiments are still some distance away. If they want to attack Ya'an, one Independent Division alone might not be enough. They must wait for the main Red Army forces to arrive to have a chance of defeating us. The reason they haven't moved might be that they are worried about being ambushed by us!"

"Do you think that if we send a division now to intercept them before the other main regiments of the Independent Division arrive, we can eliminate these two regiments in Hanyuan?" Liu Wenhui asked, understanding that sometimes in war, one must seize the opportunity to strike a fatal blow. In his view, the two Red Army regiments in Hanyuan seemed to be overreaching. After all, the nearest Red Army main regiment was a day's march away!

After looking at the defense map, the Chief of Staff still shook his head and said, "Commander, I'm afraid it won't work. The division closest to Hanyuan is the one we have stationed in Xingjing. Even if we send them now, it will take at least a day to reach Hanyuan. By then, a Red Army main regiment will have successfully joined the two regiments already in Hanyuan. With three main regiments of the Independent Division gathered, it will be very difficult for us to gain any advantage with just one division. In this situation, it's better for us to remain unchanged and adapt to all changes. During this time, we have constructed defensive works outside Xingjing. Even if the Red Army is strong, it won't be easy for them to break through our defenses. I believe that with the defensive line we have set up, we have the ability to inflict heavy damage on the Red Army Independent Division heading for Ya'an. I'm sure you know that Chiang Kai-shek has suffered setbacks against this unit before!"

While Liu Wenhui was thinking about how to engage the Independent Division, He Zhengdao, resting in Hanyuan, was discussing with Wang Tianlin whether Liu Wenhui would send troops to attack. After all, the nearest Third Regiment to the division headquarters was still a day's march away!

Wang Tianlin also shook his head and said, "Given Liu Wenhui's cunning, he probably won't do such a foolish thing. Now, he is likely relying on the pre-constructed defenses, preparing to wait for us to come. According to our reconnaissance, he has set up a solid defense outside Xingjing and Ya'an. If we launch a strong attack, we will surely suffer significant losses. But do we really need to attack Ya'an?"

Knowing that the main force had chosen a route to bypass Ya'an and secretly cross the Dadu River into the Ganzi region, the Independent Division was again playing the role of a decoy to attack Ya'an, forcing Liu Wenhui not to pursue them.

Listening to Wang Tianlin's question, He Zhengdao thought for a moment and said, "Whether to attack Ya'an depends on the progress of the battle. But we must eliminate the division he has stationed in Xingjing to ensure a safe crossing of the Dadu River. According to the reconnaissance battalion that has already crossed the river, the Sichuan Army has also deployed significant forces near the Dadu River. If they learn in advance that our main force is crossing the river, they will certainly reinforce the river defense. Our current delay in Hanyuan will confuse the enemy. Once our main force is gathered, we will advance on Ya'an with a full division, making the enemy believe that our real target is still Ya'an."

In He Zhengdao's view, fighting against local warlords and the encirclement forces not only requires bravery but also intelligence. Now, a reconnaissance company led by Li Xiangdong has already entered the other side of the Dadu River.

This ensures that when the enemy discovers the Red Army's intentions, they can control a bridgehead, allowing the main force to cross the river smoothly. Moreover, a battalion of the Fourth Regiment, which is constructing defensive works outside Hanyuan, has already left in advance.

These forces will cross the Dadu River in advance under the guidance of the reconnaissance company and go into hiding. Once the main force arrives, they will ensure the smooth crossing of the Dadu River. The story of the capture of Luding Bridge will not be repeated.

Compared to the Red Army's entry into the Sichuan border in history, where they were surrounded by heavy forces and pursued relentlessly, the main Red Army force now seems more relaxed. They only need to follow the route opened by the Independent Division and advance steadily.

At least in He Zhengdao's view, the route of the Red Army's Long March has not changed much. However, the losses and hardships endured by the main Red Army on the Long March should be reduced, allowing more strength to be preserved for reaching Shaanbei.

Upon learning that the Independent Division had captured Hanyuan and constructed defensive works outside the city, Mao Zedong ordered the main force to accelerate its advance to the Shimian area, which had been captured by the Independent Division, to prepare for the secret crossing of the Dadu River.

Although the troops were resting in Hanyuan, He Zhengdao did not idle. He found many blacksmiths in the city and personally guided them in manufacturing a portable yet powerful offensive weapon.

Three days later, when the First Regiment, the last to arrive, reached Hanyuan, He Zhengdao ordered Yao Shengjun to lead the logistics battalion to garrison Hanyuan, while the other four main regiments and the New Regiment participated in the attack on the Xingjing garrison.

Upon learning that the main force of the Independent Division was heading for Xingjing, Liu Wenhui also knew that the outcome of this battle would determine whether Ya'an could be held. If he could win this battle, he might still be able to continue as the provincial chairman and army commander.

If he lost this battle, even if the Red Army didn't deal with him, Chiang Kai-shek would not let him off easily. Therefore, to ensure that he did not lose his territory and position, Liu Wenhui gave the Xingjing garrison a strict order.

They must inflict heavy damage on the attacking Red Army Independent Division outside Xingjing. If they surrendered without a fight again, from the division commander to the ordinary soldiers, they would all be punished by military law. This order was undoubtedly forcing the division to fight to the death in Xingjing!

But with just one division of the Sichuan Army, and one without heavy artillery, the chances of stopping the Independent Division's advance were slim.