Chapter 204: Enlightened People

In the sky, a full moon hung suspended!

The moon illuminated the small path on the plain; the Sichuan Army did not need torches to light their way along the road.

Yu Hua and Fu Chang walked at the very front of the column.

"Company Commander Zhang, how much further?"

Zhang Yuanfeng was the company commander leading the escort for Yu Hua and Fu Chang to the Seventh War Zone command post.

Yu Hua was originally fine; this distance was, for him, quite manageable.

"On the Jin Province Battlefield, I have heard that the 22nd Group Army has engaged the devils."

Zhang Yuanfeng stepped forward quickly: "Adjutant Yu, it is not far now, ten more minutes."

"The Coastal Region cannot hold back the fierce little devils."

"I will still have to trouble you to arrange some boats."

He walked forward, "Lao Zhao, where are you planning to go?"

Looking out, the boats were arranged neatly, standing as close as the teeth of a comb, resembling a village.

When Zhang Yuanfeng arrived at the time, seeing this scene, he was also stunned.

Receiving Yu Hua and Fu Chang were Zhao Minhan's mother and father.

So that's it!

"It's still the middle of the night; I thought thieves had come to our place."

Zhao Minhan's father, after seeing Yu Hua and his party arrive, had his wife bring out tea.

"It is me... Zhang Yuanfeng of the Sichuan Army."

"Later, Marshal Sun was defeated by the Northern Expedition Army, and he was also injured in the war; unable to continue his military career, he returned home."

After taking a seat, Zhao Minhan's father looked at Yu Hua: "Adjutant Yu, the fighting in the Songhu Region is very intense."

Fu Chang, at his side, hearing that there was only a ten-minute journey left, continued to grit his teeth.

"If we keep fighting like this, we will definitely be the ones to suffer."

"The little devils will surely be defeated; victory belongs to us."

Yu Hua smiled and said: "Alright, Brother Fu Chang, just hold on a little longer."

No wonder!

A person capable of serving as a Senior Staff Officer in the mansion of Marshal Sun at that time was no simple character.

Among the group, Zhang Yuanfeng took Yu Hua and Fu Chang as the center, and Zhao Minhan also noticed this.

The two talked very happily, and Fu Chang at the side also listened very attentively.

"I am an old bag of bones, so I won't move about; I will tell the young and able-bodied men on the lake water when the time comes."

Zhao Minhan's father was effectively the Village Chief of the Dan People in this lake area.

Speaking of this, Fu Chang picked up his canteen and took a sip of warm water first.

And these Dan People lived on the water year-round; their boats were their "homes."

Hearing the words of Zhao Minhan's father, Yu Hua's heart was also shaken again and again.

Mr. Li analyzed from the perspective of Sun Tzu's Art of War that the little devils would be dragged down, and the final victory would surely belong to Zhongtu.

Zhang Yuanfeng hurriedly said: "Lao Zhao!"

"You also know that we, the Sichuan Army, came here to fight the devils."

Now Yu Hua had run into Zhao Minhan's father, and he also said that the final victory of Zhongtu must rely on a Protracted War.

"I heard we have assembled over seven hundred thousand troops, but that place is only as big as a palm; it has no depth."

Yu Hua and Fu Chang at the side, seeing the old gentleman before them, actually speak these words.

Among them was a person named Li Zefen, who at the time wrote a small pamphlet called "Proving the Devil Nation Must Be Defeated with Sun Tzu's Art of War."

Of course, if one speaks of a thorough discourse on Protracted War, that would still be Runzhi Xiansheng.

Yu Hua then came to Fu Chang's side, "Chief of Staff Fu."

This person who had served as a Senior Staff Officer under Marshal Sun actually possessed such a far-sighted strategic vision.

Looking at the lakeside, it was full of dense, crowded boats; some of these boats had lights on, and some did not.

"I have never been one to slack off; besides, I did not come to the Seventh War Zone to enjoy myself."

"The little devils are a group of beasts who kill without blinking."

"We will be able to find a boatman."

For a Senior Staff Officer who did not often undergo field training, this was already very good.

Zhao Minhan saw Yu Hua and Fu Chang were surprised, and he whispered: "My father, before the Northern Expedition, once served as a Senior Staff Officer under Marshal Sun."

Zhao Minhan himself went to arrange boats for the Sichuan Army.

"Our Sichuan Army is going to fight Movement Warfare again."

"Your Sichuan Army is currently located along the Taihu line; you must be careful."

He brought Yu Hua and Fu Chang to his home.

"The Southwest is our base for turning defeat into victory, as long as the Southwest Hinterland is in our hands."

"I came to fight the devils; this bit of hardship is still bearable."

Trading space for time, gradually exhausting the enemy.

Fu Chang caught his breath: "Brother Yu."

Protracted War was the path identified by the enlightened people of Zhongtu in this era.

At night, the approach of the Sichuan Army also aroused the alertness of the Dan People.

"At night, we basically perform a Rapid March to reach the designated location."

A dark-faced man, seeing Zhang Yuanfeng speak, immediately had people lower their weapons.

"Don't you underestimate me, I can still keep going."

"Lao Zhao, we need to go to Wuhu; taking the waterway is the fastest way now."

"You and I have come to the Seventh War Zone now; I see your intentions are about the same as the Jin Province Battlefield."

"I will arrange boats for you right now."

Mr. Jiang Baili also mentioned Protracted War at the time; he said that whether winning or losing, one simply cannot make peace with the little devils.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Minhan patted his own chest: "Good, you all wait a moment."

"Share some of the things you have on you with me!"

"We are clear on what you said; since my Sichuan Army has arrived in the Taihu Region, we must protect the territory and pacify the people."

Zhang Yuanfeng then explained: "Adjutant Yu, Staff Officer Fu."

After all, Sichuan Province is all farmers tilling the land; even if there are fishermen, the fishermen also live on land.

Now that a Rapid March was suddenly required, Fu Chang could grit his teeth and persist for so long without requesting a rest.

Soon, Yu Hua and the others arrived at the side of a small lake.

"Just as we farmers make a living by tilling the land, the Dan People make a living on the water."

Although the Dan People make a living on the water, their social relationships and management models are the same as villages on land.

On August 20, 1937, the Nanjing Command printed and issued the "War Guidance Guidelines," and the whole country carried out Protracted Warfare.

Lao Zhao's father and Yu Hua also made some predictions about the upcoming war situation.

Because Fu Chang, as Marshal Liu's confidant, did not usually undergo much training.

Upon hearing this, Yu Hua nodded slightly.

Protracted Warfare is also a common understanding shared by the two main factions within the Republic of China at present.

As he spoke, Lao Zhao's father smoked his dry tobacco pipe and slowly exhaled a puff of murky smoke.

Yu Hua paused and said: "Once the Seventh War Zone fails to block the devils' offensive, the Taihu Region will fall."

"Let them head to the Southwest Hinterland!"

"Old man, you all should run to the Southwest Hinterland as soon as possible."

As he spoke, Zhao Minhan led the group of Sichuan Army soldiers into the "water houses" of the Dan People.

Both of their eyes widened; someone with this kind of insight is definitely not a nobody.

However, Fu Chang had walked for so long that he was a bit unable to bear it.

"I reckon the little devils will definitely launch a fierce attack on the Seventh War Zone and head north to outflank Nanjing."

Fu Chang's remarks caused Yu Hua's favorable impression of him to rise continuously.

"Old man!"

Zhang Yuanfeng and Zhao Minhan were old acquaintances; last time Zhao Minhan went out to the city, he was harassed by the local Security Regiment.

It was Zhang Yuanfeng who went up to resolve the siege, and the two formed a bond from that.

Some young and strong men holding long guns came before Zhang Yuanfeng and the others.

Among the people, there were also some with foresight who stated that the way out for Zhongtu was still to fight a Protracted War.

"These are the Dan People; they make a living on the water all year round."

"So, I will treat today as warming up, exercising, and tempering my muscles and bones."

"When we arrive at the Seventh War Zone command post, I will hold a reception for you."

Zhao Minhan looked at Zhang Yuanfeng.

Fu Chang saw this scene and was also stunned for a moment.

Lao Zhao's father nodded, "According to the military strength comparison, we must achieve a protracted war of resistance."

"Although I haven't done a Rapid March in a long time, we are Sichuan Army brothers."

This is determined by the national situation.

"Going to Wuhu now, there is urgent military intelligence."

Before long, Zhao Minhan returned to the cabin and told Zhang Yuanfeng.

Preparing the boats would take some time, so he asked them to wait a while.

(End of this chapter)