Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 242 Independent Regiment Movements

After leaving the logistics department, Tang Weiguo went straight back to his office. He casually took off his military jacket and hung it on the clothes rack.

Tang Weiguo returned to his office and picked up the phone on the table to make a call.

"Get him on, Tang Xiaohu," Tang Weiguo said briefly.

"This is Tang Xiaohu," Tang Xiaohu's voice came through the phone.

"Xiao Hu, come to my office."

"Yes."

Putting down the microphone, Tang Weiguo glanced at the mountain of documents piled on his desk, rubbed his head, and then began to process the official documents on the table. Although Tang Weiguo had delegated enough authority, there were still many things that required his approval.

Before long, Tang Xiaohu walked in.

"Xiao Hu, you're here. Sit down quickly." Tang Weiguo put down his work as he watched Tang Xiao Hu walk in.

"Brigade Commander, is there some new mission you've called me here for?" Tang Xiaohu asked curiously.

"Without new missions, our brigade will not be taking any operations for the foreseeable future."

"The main reason I asked you to come here is to discuss the Xiaoqingshan garrison with you."

After saying that, Tang Weiguo got up and walked to the wooden tea table in the corner. He took out two pinches of black tea from the tin tea canister and put them into the teacup. When the boiling water was poured in, the tea leaves immediately unfurled in the teacup.

"Here, Xiao Hu, have a cup of tea. This is black tea I just got from Bi Shou Cai. How does it taste?"

"The brigade commander has a lot of influence. It would be very difficult for us to get some tea from Old Man Bi." Tang Xiaohu took the teacup and grinned.

"Brigade Commander, you have no idea how stingy Old Bi is. Last time I wanted to get some tea from him to try, he insisted in front of me that the tea was moldy and couldn't be drunk. I was so angry that I laughed."

"Haha, that does sound like something Bi Shouchai would do," Tang Weiguo said with a laugh.

"Today, thanks to the brigade commander, I'll also get to taste Old Man Bi's tea." After saying that, Tang Xiaohu took a small sip.

"Brigadier, you know what, Old Man Bi's tea is really good."

"If you like, take some with you when you leave."

"Alright, that's what I've been waiting for, Brigade Commander." Tang Xiaohu grinned from ear to ear.

"Let's stop with the small talk and get down to business."

"Xiao Hu, when are you planning to go to the new base in Xiao Qingshan?" Tang Weiguo asked.

"Liu Hao and I discussed it early this morning. We'll send a small group ahead to scout ahead, and then work with the reconnaissance battalion stationed there to set up a temporary base before I lead the rest of the troops to Xiaoqingshan."

"I have already dispatched a small team to the Xiaoqingshan coal mine."

"Then, taking into account the time it would take for the troops to organize their supplies, we plan to lead the main force to the new base a week later," Tang Xiaohu explained his idea.

"Yes, we need to be more prepared." Tang Weiguo nodded.

"However, you don't need to carry too many supplies. Niu Dali led the reconnaissance battalion to capture Xiaoqingshan County and seized a large amount of supplies."

“I did not ask him to transport these supplies over. They have now been transferred to the Xiaoqingshan Coal Mine.”

"This batch of supplies will be enough for you to use for a long time."

"Brigade Commander, did you plan this all along, sending me to guard the Xiaoqingshan Coal Mine?"

Upon hearing Tang Xiaohu's question, Tang Weiguo nodded.

"Before the battle in Xiaoqingshan County began, I planned to have you develop your strength with Xiaoqingshan as the core."

"Through this battle, I learned a lesson: don't put all your eggs in one basket."

"Once you take root and grow strong in Xiaoqingshan, the Japanese will have to pay a heavy price if they try to attack our brigade again!" Tang Weiguo said confidently.

"I understand. After this trip, I will definitely restore the strength of the troops as soon as possible."

"I believe you."

"Oh, right, there's one more important thing I need to tell you. Although we actually control this county, the Eighth Route Army is still in charge of it on the surface."

"So after you occupy the Xiaoqingshan coal mine, try your best to stage as many skits as possible with the Eighth Route Army, creating some friction. You want to put on a show of 'internal strife' right under their noses."

"Let outsiders, preferably the Japanese, know that our brigade is currently in conflict with the Eighth Route Army over the Xiaoqingshan County issue, so as to lower the Japanese's vigilance towards us."

"Brigade Commander, I understand. I will perform this role well." Tang Xiaohu nodded knowingly.

"Brigade Commander, I have a question. I don't know who is in charge on the Eighth Route Army's side?" Tang Xiaohu asked.

“Your old acquaintance, Li Yunfei,” Tang Weiguo said with a smile.

"Isn't Commander Li's base located in the Wolong Mountain area?" Tang Xiaohu asked with some doubt.

"They withdrew from Wolong Mountain and moved to the Xiaoqingshan area. They gave us all the land they had occupied in the Wolong Mountain area."

"Now our brigade has effectively controlled all of the Wolong Mountain area except for the county seat."

"Brigade Commander, can the Eighth Route Army really be this generous?" Tang Xiaohu asked doubtfully.

"Haha, the supplies we allocated to the Independent Regiment this time are enough to make them willingly give up this land to us."

"So that's how it is. I always thought there was no such thing as a free lunch," Tang Xiaohu said with sudden realization.

"With Commander Li as an acquaintance, this act will be much easier to perform," Tang Xiaohu said with a smile.

"I guess that's what Commander Li's superiors were thinking too, otherwise Li Yunfei wouldn't have dared to retreat from his post so easily even if he had ten lives," Tang Weiguo said.

"You know what, it's true. Don't let Commander Li's usual fearless demeanor fool you; I heard he's terrified of his superiors, like a mouse before a cat!" Tang Xiaohu couldn't help but smile as he recalled Political Commissar Zhao's description.

"That's the saying 'one thing subdues another'!" Tang Weiguo laughed as he said this.

"Xiao Hu, besides what I've mentioned, is there anything else you need me to coordinate?" Tang Weiguo asked.

"Brigade Commander, I would like to have the engineering regiment send some men back to Xiaoqingshan with me to help us repair the fortifications there."

"Xiao Hu, thank you for reminding me, I almost forgot about this. Leave this to me, and I'll have Professor Zhao send someone to accompany you."

"In addition, I will inform Dean Chu to specifically allocate a group of medical personnel to Xiaoqingshan to build a hospital."

"Brigade Commander, this is wonderful!"

"Besides these things, are there any other issues?"

"No, we can handle the other problems ourselves, so we won't bother the brigade."

"Okay, let me know if you have any needs later."

"Yes."

"By the way, before you leave, Xiao Hu, come back to Tangjia Town with me one last time to visit the old steward. This time you're going to the Xiaoqingshan area, it won't be so easy for you to go home again."

"Okay, I understand. I'll go home and check on things before I leave." Tang Xiaohu nodded vigorously.

After chatting for a while, Tang Xiaohu left Tang Weiguo's office, taking with him some tea that Tang Weiguo had taken from Bi Shoucai before leaving.

After Tang Xiaohu left, Tang Weiguo continued to deal with the Independent Brigade's affairs.