Chapter 61: Joining Forces with the Central Column and How to Cross the Snow Mountains

However, Peng Hongsen did not encounter any enemy resistance. The battalion that had originally been left behind in Luting City had fled completely more than ten minutes earlier, leaving no chance for Peng Hongsen and his men to annihilate them.

By dawn, the wooden planks were finally completely laid. Not daring to waste a single moment, Long Wencheng immediately dispatched Lin Tong and his men to report to the Central Column and inform them that the Luting Bridge had been successfully captured.

(Do not ask why I am not using a radio; the radio had long since followed Qi Delong’s 1st Regiment on a feint to lure away that division of the Central Army.)

The Central Column had been pursued all the way to Mianning by the rear elements of the Central Army, and only breathed a sigh of relief upon entering the Yi ethnic region.

This was because the local Yi people expressed their willingness to hold back the pursuing warlord forces on their behalf.

The leaders of the Central Column thought that these ethnic minority tribes basically only used matchlock guns, long spears, and bows and arrows. They figured—no disrespect intended—that charging into a desperate battle against the well-equipped Central Army with such weapons was practically suicide.

However, the leaders Xiao Yedana and Luo Hongjia replied that there was no need to worry, because the commander of the preceding 18th Red Army Division, Long Wencheng, had left them a batch of weapons and equipment before his departure.

Upon inspection, the leaders discovered that these were discarded Hanyang-made rifles along with a few Czech light machine guns.

Although these weapons were not particularly advanced, they were more than sufficient for fighting a guerrilla war against the enemy in the mountain forests.

The leaders of the Central Column only knew that the 18th Red Army Division, acting as the vanguard, had advanced triumphantly and previously seized Anshunchang, but they had not expected that it would also turn the Yi tribes into allies.

"This Long Wencheng possesses great talent," Chairman De Sheng praised involuntarily.

"Indeed. Versatile in both military and literary arts, and skilled in diplomacy as well. It seems placing him in command of the vanguard was the right decision," General Zhou also praised with admiration.

After successfully passing through the Yi ethnic region, they arrived at Anshunchang. Although some boats had already been gathered, crossing the river here was still far too slow.

With it remaining uncertain whether the Luting Bridge direction had been secured, the Central Column proceeded to cross the river at Anshunchang first.

By the next morning, Lin Tong arrived at Anshunchang with over a dozen cavalrymen, bringing the glad tidings:

"The Luting Bridge has been repaired. The Central Column can move northward and cross the river via the Luting Bridge."

This news came as a pleasant surprise to the soldiers of the Central Column, who burst into enthusiastic cheers.

Because the pursuing Central Army had pressed them relentlessly with continuous combat, the Central Red Army, which originally numbered over thirty thousand men, now had fewer than twenty thousand genuine combat effectives left after continuous attrition.

Although the Yi compatriots could buy them a bit more time for the river crossing, it was likely that they would eventually have to detach forces to provide a rearguard defense, resulting in yet more casualties and losses.

The news brought by the 18th Red Army Division was undoubtedly a powerful shot in the arm, reviving hope within the Central Red Army.

Facts had also proven that Long Wencheng's previous proposal at the meeting was entirely correct—the Luting Bridge had indeed not been destroyed.

And Long Wencheng had not lived up to their expectations, truly leading his troops to victory in the battle for the bridge relying on those thirteen iron chains.

Naturally, the Central Red Army dared not waste any time. A portion remained at Anshunchang to cross the river, while the main force marched directly northward, following the riverbank all the way toward the Luting Bridge.

Five days later, the main force of the Central Red Army finally arrived at Luting County Town.

Meanwhile, the pursuing main force of the Central Army, which should have reached Anshunchang in four days, encountered continuous harassment from those Yi tribes while passing through the Yi region.

Xue Yue, who was leading the troops, initially intended to wipe out these Yi people along the way, but after three consecutive days of combat, he realized that this group of people was no worse at guerrilla warfare than the Red Army.

Furthermore, they were familiar with the local terrain, striking and vanishing immediately. Catching them was impossible unless they built blockhouses here, advanced step by step, squeezed the living space of the Yi people, and dragged it out for a year or a half to completely exterminate them.

Resolving the issue with these Yi people in a short period of time was nearly out of the question.

If that could easily be done, the local Sichuan warlords would have already done so long ago.

Later, Xue Yue figured that if he wanted to pass smoothly through the Yi region, he could just spend some money. These bumpkins had never seen the world, so it shouldn't cost too much.

Yet, reality turned out the complete opposite of his imagination. The head of the person sent to deliver the money was cut off, placed inside a box, and sent back by the Yi people that very night.

The Yi people took the money, but still had no intention of making way.

Gritting his teeth, Xue Yue pushed his march forward. The journey that should have taken three days took a full half a month instead.

When they finally arrived at Anshunchang, how could there possibly be any shadow of the Red Army left?

While the Central Army was still entangled with the Yi people, the Central Red Army in Luting County Town was holding a meeting.

This meeting would determine the Red Army's next marching direction, as well as the pressing problems they needed to resolve immediately.

"We have already established contact with the Fourth Front Army. Our plan is to complete the joining of forces around Maogong, but before that, we need to cross the Jiajin Snow Mountain."

When Chairman De Sheng reached this point, his expression grew extremely grave.

"Snow mountains... are not easy to cross."

Having said this, he took a deep breath of his cigarette and let out a sigh.

The Jiajin Snow Mountain remained snow-capped all year round. Even though it was currently summer, crossing it required traversing vast high-cold regions.

Before the Long March, the Red Army forces had operated around the Jinggang Mountains, and subsequently passed through relatively warm and humid regions such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. Many soldiers had never even seen snow in their lives.

Without a doubt, this was a natural chasm, and crossing it would inevitably demand numerous sacrifices.

However, the pursuing enemy forces would not halt their pursuit simply because of the difficulties the Red Army troops were encountering.

The delaying actions of the Yi tribes around Anshunchang had reached their limit. The Central Army led by Xue Yue and others, having converged with Liu Wenhui's forces, was pressing forward toward Luting.

Crossing the snow mountain and joining forces with the Fourth Front Army was an inevitable choice.

"The main issue is cold-weather supplies. Many of our soldiers are still wearing single-layer clothing. The regions along our route do not produce cotton, and when the Long March first began, who could have anticipated that we would come to the Sichuan-Xizang region and cross such high and cold snow mountains?"

The Minister of Logistics began to speak, highlighting the difficulties.

Chairman De Sheng stated with a resolute attitude:

"The snow mountain must be crossed, whether it is passable or not. During this period, find ways to purchase fabrics locally, collect wool and other materials, and manufacture as many cold-weather supplies as possible before the enemy catches up."

Just as he finished speaking, Long Wencheng raised his hand once again from the corner.

Seeing Long Wencheng raise his hand, the gazes of the leaders of the Central Red Army all converged upon him.

According to past experience, whenever Long Wencheng raised his hand, he surely had a countermeasure, and there was a high probability that the countermeasure was viable.

Therefore, anticipation lingered in everyone's eyes now, as they waited for Long Wencheng to work some miraculous effect once again.

"Well... when I was in Guizhou previously, I acquired a considerable amount of wool. Later, I had it made into woolen garments in Zhaotong, and afterwards I captured a large number of winter uniforms from the Sichuan-Xikang Border Defense Force in Xikang. I calculated that our Central Red Army now has fewer than thirty thousand people, so if we tighten our belts, it should still be enough."