Chapter 23: Li Yunlong's Little Scheme

Wu Ze woke up from his nap to find Li Yunlong absent.

"Where is the Regiment Commander?" Wu Ze asked the staff at the headquarters.

"He captured a traitor and went to interrogate him personally," they replied.

"I see." Wu Ze nodded, realizing it must be Cui Baozhong who had been nabbed. He waited at the headquarters for Li Yunlong's return.

Before long, he heard Li Yunlong’s booming, agitated voice echoing into the room: "Damn it! I thought this Cui Baozhong was a tough nut to crack, but the coward wet his pants before we even started the main course."

"Regiment Commander, Cui Baozhong also provided a piece of highly valuable intelligence. I will head out immediately to verify and handle it, and use the opportunity to cover up Cui Baozhong's disappearance, which will buy us some preparation time," Zhong Zhicheng reported.

"Go, get to it!" Li Yunlong agreed. The intelligence indicated that comrades in the local area were being targeted by traitors and were in a precarious situation.

This was a matter of grave importance and could not be delayed. If the Japanese or their puppets discovered that Cui Baozhong had been snatched, those comrades would likely be hunted down immediately. Furthermore, if Qiu Dabiao found out that Cui Baozhong had been captured, he would almost certainly move his father’s remains again.

Li Yunlong needed to make thorough preparations before taking on Qiu Dabiao, such as mobilizing the masses in advance. Once Qiujiazhuang was taken, they would have to move quickly to harvest and transport the potatoes. Time was of the essence.

As Li Yunlong entered the headquarters and saw that Wu Ze was awake, he walked over, beaming. "Wu Ze, you’re up! We caught Cui Baozhong, and he’s already talked. That traitorous dog Qiu Dabiao really did deceive us. I’ll be twisting his head off to use as a chamber pot soon enough!"

"Regiment Commander, how do you plan to attack Qiujiazhuang?" Wu Ze asked.

"Here is the plan: I’ll head to the Independent Regiment to borrow some men from my old comrade Kong Jie, then join forces with the New First Regiment to set a 'pocket formation' outside Qiujiazhuang. Finally, we’ll dig up the grave to lure Qiu Dabiao out, capture him alive, and use him to force the surrender of Qiujiazhuang. We also need to dig up the grave where the doctor was buried; we have to swap the remains back," Li Yunlong explained briefly.

"Wasn't the doctor's body discarded by Qiu Dabiao?" Wu Ze inquired.

"We found it," Li Yunlong replied.

"Regiment Commander, although Qiu Dabiao is obsessed with his father's grave, I think we should make more preparations," Wu Ze suggested. He found the strategy sound—it was exactly what he would have done—but he remained cautious.

"What kind of preparations?" Li Yunlong asked.

"One must always be prepared for the unexpected. Once we touch that grave, Qiu Dabiao will certainly realize that Cui Baozhong has leaked information. He might choose to dig in and refuse to come out, knowing we have an ambush waiting," Wu Ze reasoned.

"But isn't the old bastard devoted to his father? Even if he knows it's a trap, he’ll have to show his face," Li Yunlong insisted.

"It never hurts to be careful," Wu Ze countered. "On the battlefield, anything can happen. If he stubbornly refuses to come out, we'll be stuck. We need to make him understand that if he stays hidden, he’ll die a miserable death, but if he comes out, he might still have a glimmer of hope."

"What do you suggest?"

Wu Ze leaned in and whispered his plan into Li Yunlong's ear.

"That’s a tall order," Li Yunlong said, looking troubled.

"Regiment Commander, it doesn't have to be the real thing. We can use decoys—as long as it looks convincing from the outside," Wu Ze replied.

"Hmm, that makes sense." Li Yunlong looked at Wu Ze with excitement. "Wu Ze, I never realized you had such tricks up your sleeve! With this, it’ll be foolproof. That traitorous dog Qiu Dabiao is a dead man!"

Li Yunlong immediately began delegating tasks: some were sent to push Zhang Dabiao to intensify training, others to mobilize the masses, and some to prepare the props Wu Ze had suggested. He also made sure to inform the community representatives about the plan regarding the grave, knowing that the doctor was well-loved and that disturbing his resting place without prior explanation would surely cause unrest.

Once everything was arranged, Li Yunlong prepared to set off for the Independent Regiment.

"Regiment Commander, may I accompany you?" Wu Ze asked. He was quite interested in meeting the commander of the Independent Regiment, Kong Jie. Known as one of the "Iron Triangle" of Northern Shanxi, Kong Jie was a stalwart fighter, though Li Yunlong often called him a "blockhead" for not being as quick-witted as himself.

"Wu Ze, you stay here and get some rest," Li Yunlong said. "You’ve already made your contribution. The rest is up to me."

"Regiment Commander, I want to broaden my horizons and learn about other units. It’ll be useful if I ever end up working in their territory; it’ll make things easier if people recognize me."

"Alright, fine then," Li Yunlong agreed.

"Regiment Commander, are you really going to borrow troops from the Independent Regiment empty-handed?" Wu Ze asked, noticing Li Yunlong wasn't bringing any gifts.

"What do you mean, empty-handed? Kong the Blockhead and I are old friends; he won't stand on ceremony," Li Yunlong said dismissively. "Besides, I’m doing him a favor. Once Qiujiazhuang falls, all the weapons and equipment will go to him. I won't take a single gun. That’s more than generous, isn't it?"

Li Yunlong was a clever man; he wasn't foolish. He anticipated that once Qiujiazhuang was captured, the Brigade Commander would inevitably "congratulate him on getting rich" and confiscate the spoils. Li knew he couldn't keep them, as the New First Regiment was already well-supplied with weapons and ammunition. By "lending" them to Kong Jie, he was essentially laundering the gear.

The Independent Regiment was no stronger than his old New First Regiment; this haul would allow them to arm themselves quickly. A stronger Independent Regiment would make the New First Regiment's flanks much more secure. Ever since they had seized the Japanese Italian-made cannons and raided Xiao Wangzhuang and Xiao Lizhuang, Hirata Ichiro had been mobilizing troops to wipe them out. Even with a full arsenal, the New First Regiment’s combat strength couldn't be boosted overnight. When the encirclement came, they would need the support of Kong Jie’s men.

"Regiment Commander, won't the Brigade Commander object if you give all the Qiujiazhuang weapons to the Independent Regiment?" Wu Ze asked, surprised. "Isn't that setting Kong Jie up?"

If Kong Jie received the weapons only to have them confiscated by the Brigade Commander, wouldn't his help be for nothing?

"You silly boy, don't forget that the Independent Regiment is also part of the 386th Brigade. It’s the Brigade Commander’s own unit. Do you think he’d be foolish enough to strip an already armed regiment back to nothing?" Li Yunlong chuckled.

"That's a fair point," Wu Ze admitted, nodding. Even if the Brigade Commander were angry, he likely wouldn't seize all the supplies. Of course, Li Yunlong would surely face some disciplinary trouble for the stunt, but looking at his expression, it was clear he didn't care.

Before they departed, Li Yunlong still ordered a shipment of grain to be loaded. If Kong the Blockhead was going to help him fight, he needed to make sure his men got a few square meals. Li Yunlong wasn't a man without a conscience.