Chapter 5 5. The Proud General

Ji Zhentong, formerly known as Ji Zhentong, also known as Hanqing, has a different character. Born in Cangzhou, Hebei in 1901.He was born into a wealthy landlord family with thousands of acres of arable land, but he didn't want to stay at home as a young master.He has practiced martial arts since he was a child and is aggressive. He is physically strong, tall, handsome and bold.He is capable, competitive, trustworthy, and loyal. He is worthy of being a proud general.He is also a graduate of the Baoding Army Military Academy and is a rising star among the senior generals of the Northwest Army.In the early years, he served as Feng Yuxiang's personal bodyguard. He was loyal and brave, and won Feng Yuxiang's love.From company commander, battalion commander, regimental commander, brigade commander, to the commander of the guard division.During Wuyuan's swearing-in, Ji Zhentong had direct contact with the Communists at the headquarters, especially Liu Bojian, who had a deep impression on him.He once said to his subordinates with emotion: "If all the officers of the Northwest Army can be like Director Liu, then our Northwest Army will be invincible in the world!"

After the Central Plains War, his unit (14th Division) was incorporated by Chiang Kai-shek into the 74th Brigade of the 26th Route Army, and he was also demoted from division commander to brigade commander.Each of his soldiers has three major items: a box gun, a carbine and a broadsword.In terms of equipment, it was the best among the six brigades at that time; in terms of combat effectiveness, his brigade and Dong Zhentang's 73rd brigade were the strongest among the 26th Route Army.He looked down on Sun Lianzhong, who was the commander-in-chief at the time, and called him "Sun Routou", and even more looked down on the newly appointed commander of the 25th Division-his immediate boss Li Songkun (formerly the commander of the 75th Brigade).Heroes cherish heroes, and what he respects are Chief of Staff Zhao Bosheng and 73rd Brigade Commander Dong Zhentang.

After the 26th Route Army entered Ningdu City, the officers and soldiers became war-weary, and the 74th Brigade was no exception. In addition, he himself did not want to go to war with the Red Army led by the Communist Party, so he was deeply worried.Once, he said to a few guards around him: "Some people say that the Communist Party is the 'Red Party' and the Communist Party's army is the 'Red Army'. I think that when we took the oath in Wuyuan, they assisted us. At that time, we were also called For the 'Red Army'! 'Red' means red, and only those who sincerely serve the country are really 'red'!" Then he asked one of the guards, "Tell me, who is the real revolutionary army of workers and peasants?"

The guards did not dare to answer, but Ji Zhentong said without hesitation: "The army that wins the hearts of the hardworking people is the real revolutionary army!" The soldiers looked at their brigade commander and smiled knowingly. One day, Huang Zhongyue, the head of his regiment, walked into his room angrily, and said to him: "Brigade Commander! What's wrong with this situation? Go outside the city and have a look. Thousands of brothers who died of illness will be buried. Behind that hillside, you can't see the end at a glance!" Faced with the questioning of his favorite general, Ji Zhentong was speechless.

Huang Zhongyue, a native of Luoshan County, Xinyang, Henan Province, has a burly figure, thick eyebrows and big eyes, a breezy personality, and speaks happily.He graduated from the Japanese Army Non-commissioned Officer Academy and served as the brigade commander of the Pistol Brigade of the Northwest Army. One regiment was adapted from the original pistol brigade.The combat power is the strongest in the whole army, and Huang Zhongyue and Ji Zhentong are sworn brothers, so they don't need to be afraid of speaking.After a quiet silence, Huang Zhongyue said angrily again: "Damn it! It's better to die in the anti-Japanese battlefield than to be trapped here uselessly!"

Ji Zhentong smiled wryly and said: "Why don't I want to do something like that vigorously, but can Chairman Jiang let us go? The most important thing for you now is to lead the team well. I will find a way to go in the future." Huang Zhongyue After listening, he threw the whip on the table and said: "I can't lead this team! Maybe I will drag the troops up the mountain and become bandits!" Ji Zhentong couldn't help laughing, and he patted Huang on the shoulder like a joke Said: "Want to be a bandit? No matter how you look at it, you don't look like that. If you are really like that, I will be the first to kill you."

Huang Zhongyue laughed boredly, and said, "What's the matter? A few days ago, Li Jinting (regiment leader) of the 27th Division was playing mahjong with me, and he even said he wanted to join the Red Army!" Hearing what Huang Zhongyue said, Ji Zhentong's face suddenly darkened: "Did he really say that?" Huang Zhongyue immediately realized that he had gone too far, and explained: "He and I are fellow villagers. We are just complaining and joking when we are together. You also know that he is nice and enthusiastic. Even Commander-in-Chief Feng said He is outspoken, and his tongue will be flashed by the wind."

After hearing this, Ji Zhentong lowered his head and meditated, Huang Zhongyue took the opportunity to pick up the whip on the table and quietly exited the door. After listening to Huang Zhongyue's words, Ji Zhentong was very anxious. Some time ago, he secretly sent the director of political training to find the Communist Party, hoping to get out of the civil war and find a way out, but he failed. What should we do next?He couldn't make up his mind either. When Zhao Bosheng and Dong Zhentang found Ji Zhentong, Ji Zai cursed without hesitation after reading the telegram: "Damn it! This is clearly telling us to die, what's 'advancing and suppressing' not 'invading and suppressing', we Going forward is death, retreating is death, nesting here is waiting for death. Let me see! Just join forces with the Red Army and go back to the north to fight Japan. I don’t know what the two brothers have to teach you.” Dong Zhentang was very excited about the unexpected quick talk. As soon as he wanted to speak, Zhao Bosheng said first: "Brother Ji, you have great foresight!" After speaking, he deliberately turned around: "I don't know what Brother Shao Zhong wants?"

Dong Zhentang smiled slightly, nodded solemnly and said: "I think when I transferred us to the south, I felt Chiang Kai-shek's sinister intentions. Now that the matter has come to an end, I agree! Just do it!" Zhao Bosheng said: "Okay! That's it. Put all your eggs in one basket and turn to the light. I will find a way to contact Director Liu over there first. The two of you will do the following work separately, control the troops well, and be ready to act at any time!" Ji Zhentong was very straightforward, and took the hands of the two of them to make a decision immediately: "Two brothers, don't worry! My two regiments are like my left and right hands, and they will listen to me at any time!"

When Zhao Bosheng returned to the general headquarters, Liu Zhenya and others were waiting anxiously in his room, so he told the story of meeting Dong and Ji, and then analyzed; "I think there are two brigades Dong and Ji in In my hand, together with my headquarters here, we are sure to promote the uprising of the whole army." Liu Zhenya said excitedly; "I really didn't expect it to be so smooth! My original thought was that it would be good to take away the 73rd Brigade Well, it seems that the situation is very good, we should strive for the entire army to revolt, if that happens, you have made great contributions to the revolution, Chief of Staff!"

Zhao Bosheng smiled; "I have wanted to be a revolutionist for a long time, and now I have finally fulfilled my wish. I work for the party, and what I do is what a party member should do. What is urgently needed now is to contact Ruijin in order to obtain their Cooperate, what do you think?" Liu Zhenya said: "We are directly under the leadership of the Shanghai Party Central Committee, and have no contact with the Soviet area. Now that Wang Chao is out of business, I think the local party organization in Nanchang has also been destroyed. Time is so urgent that it is too late to contact Shanghai. Comrade Yuan Xuezu is leaving tonight and going directly to Ruijin."