Chapter 6: The Raid on Fuzhou
Remember, good things should not be hoarded alone. If you are the first to enter the armory, hide a little first, and then share it among the various departments; otherwise, your battalion won't have such good provisions. Also, this is Li Houji's military governor's office. Li Houji has accumulated quite a bit over the years in Fujian. This time, during our raid on Fuzhou, if we can capture Li Houji, you must hand him over to me, understand? Premier Sun has already mortgaged the garden villas in Shanghai to the bank for the counteroffensive in Guangzhou. If we can extort a few million from Li Houji, it will significantly lighten the burden on the Premier. At this point, Luo Yiqun's eyes even became slightly moist.
Luo Yaoguo followed Huang Dawei's troops, departing from Jianou County on October 2 and arriving at Gutian County on October 6. On the same day, Luo Yiqun quietly arrived at Luo Yaoguo's camp.
Indeed! Wang Bao exclaimed, slapping his thigh, "The chief of staff is your second uncle; how could this position possibly not be promoted for you"
Perhaps Wang Yongquan and Xu Chongzhi felt a sense of obligation, and on September 22, 1922, the two issued a joint telegram to attack the Fujian governor Li Houji. However, Luo Yaoguo could not understand why they could not simply march their troops directly into Fuzhou to save trouble. Why issue this unnecessary telegram?
The marching sequence of the battalion is as follows: Wu Ziliang's First Company, Gao Shaojie’s Third Company, the battalion headquarters, and Li Shun'en’s Second Company. Among the five brothers, Wu Ziliang is the most astute, making it more reassuring to have him lead the way. Li Shun'en is a man of few words, but after spending time together, Luo Yaoguo finds him to be quite resolute, so the role of the rear guard is entrusted to him. Gao Shaojie is somewhat dull and lacks authority, making him rather unsuitable for leading troops. However, due to the lack of available personnel, Luo Yaoguo places him in the middle, so that he can take command at any moment if issues arise.
It is unlikely that we can capture Li Houji by going to the Governor's Office, as Li Houji is not foolish; he will definitely flee if he sees someone approaching. If our army is to launch a surprise attack on Fujian, we should take the northern route through Tongkoushan and then attack Hongshan Bridge, as the munitions factory is located to the east of Hongshan Bridge. This means that Li Houji will not escape through the northern or western gates of Fujian; if he is to flee, it should be through the southern gate. If I can seize the munitions factory, Commander Huang will certainly not allow me to go into the city of Fujian to seek profit. Therefore, I will take this opportunity to lead a team to the southern gate and wait for a chance to catch him. If we capture Li Houji, how about we hide him first?" Luo Yaoguo was sketching on the military map with a red and blue pencil, outlining the general direction of the attack and the possible escape routes of Li Houji.
Where is this map from? Luo Yaoguo recognized that this was a military map, but he did not know its origin. Luo Yiqun was the chief of staff of the Northern Expedition Army and had many maps in his possession
"If I get promoted, isn't it the same as my brothers getting promoted? Big Brother, this time, a deputy regiment commander is definitely in the cards for you." Luo Yaoguo smiled broadly as he painted a rosy picture for Wang Bao.
"What danger could there be in fighting against a guy who let the enemy army wander around his territory for twenty days without a clue?" At this point, Luo Yaoguo gently shook his head: "The issue we need to consider now is how to capture him; he was quite shrewd when it came to making money."
Well, you can handle these matters as you see fit. This map is left to you. Remember to pay attention to safety and don't rush too much. Also, just take a little from the arsenal; try your best to capture Li Houji for me. There's no need to raid the Governor's Office; these days, money is mostly kept in foreign banks. The key is to capture the person. It seems that Sun Yat-sen's economic situation is really poor, to the extent that Luo Yiqun repeatedly reminds his nephew to find a way to catch this fat sheep, Li Houji.
Fujian had two major characteristics during the warlord conflicts of the Republic of China. First, there were many local militias, and the militia forces in Fujian were particularly strong and stubborn, also famously known as the "guiding party." Successive military governors suffered greatly at their hands. Even in the historical context of Luo Yaoguo's previous life, Jiang Guangnai and Cai Tingkai faced difficulties due to these local militias during the Fujian Incident.
In fact, his predictions were entirely correct. Given Luo Yiqun's position in front of Sun Yat-sen, how could he not manage to secure the brigade this time? There are no military talents around Luo Yiqun; who else could be used if not Luo Yaoguo? This time, Luo Yaoguo's resources are indeed under pressure. He currently has troops, support from above, and has managed to keep a group of unruly soldiers in check, which can be considered a foundational base. Brigade Commander Luo Yaoguo is not unwilling; it is simply that he cannot hold on to it. The base he currently has can only support a regiment at most. This time, Luo Yaoguo's resources are indeed under pressure. He currently has troops, support from above, and has managed to keep a group of unruly soldiers in check, which can be considered a foundational base. Brigade Commander Luo Yaoguo is not unwilling; it is simply that he cannot hold on to it. The base he currently has can only support a regiment at most.
The Northern Expeditionary Army led by Xu Chongzhi traversed a significant detour through Ninghua, Jianing, Jianyang, Taining, Shaowu, and Jianou in Fujian, covering a total distance of over 500 kilometers. If we include the advance into Jiangxi, the Northern Expeditionary Army traveled a total of seven to eight hundred kilometers. This journey took more than 20 days in total, with over 20 days spent marching within Fujian alone. The enemy, with an army of 20,000, moved through their own territory for 20 days, and the Fujian governor Li Houji was completely unaware of it. Given this alone, this governor should be held accountable for his oversight.
Qiu, from Hongjun, is a native of Huangpi, Hubei, and hails from the same hometown as Huang Dawei. He graduated from the Hubei Jiangbian Academy of Artillery and the Nanjing Military Academy, and is a veteran member of the Tongmenghui. This year, he is already 44 years old and sports a mustache similar to that of Huang Dawei.
Commander, is everyone here? Can we set off? Wu Han, the chief advisor to Qiu Hongjun, noticed that Luo Yaoguo's unit had arrived and reminded that they could depart. Wu Han is from Jiangsu, a graduate of the Army Command College, and was classmates with the two prominent generals of the Republic of China, Guo Songling and Li Jishen. This illustrates that Huang Dawei's subordinates are indeed a talented group, particularly standing out is Luo Yaoguo, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point! Even Huang Dawei feels a bit envious.
"Oh, it's Fu Wen who has arrived." Qiu Hongjun, with a dull expression, nodded at Luo Yaoguo. Although both had mustaches, on Huang Dawei's face it appeared quite arrogant and overbearing, while on Qiu Hongjun's face it gave off an impression of being honest and simple-minded
The main force in the Battle of Fujian was the Second Army of the Guangdong Army led by Xu Chongzhi. Huang Dawei's First Route and Li Fulin's Fujun were merely following behind to take advantage of the situation, while Luo Yaoguo was also trailing behind Huang Dawei, hoping to seize an opportunity amidst the chaos. Therefore, it was unlikely that they would be so bored as to voluntarily request to attack the city of Gutian.
Does uncle mean for the nephew to take advantage of the chaos and seize an opportunity? Luo Yaoguo stared intently at the map, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth
Just a moment after Uncle left, Huang Dawei's orders were indeed transmitted down. The first route of the Northern Expedition Army immediately set off southward, although the specific direction was to be kept confidential. According to Huang Dawei's orders, Luo Yaoguo's supplementary battalion was temporarily assigned to the third commander Qiu Hongjun of the first route. The Huang faction has a total of three commanders, equivalent to three regiments. Qiu Hongjun's third command is relatively weak among the three, with only two battalions, Gao Hailan and Hu Jiabi. Therefore, Luo Yaoguo's supplementary battalion was temporarily incorporated, resulting in Qiu Hongjun having a temporary force of three battalions exceeding 1,000 men.
Due to the communication from Wang Yongquan and Xu Chongzhi, Li Houji sensed that the situation was dire. He hurriedly dispatched a mixed brigade led by Tang Guomo to establish defenses along the lines of Gutian County and Shuikou Town, while a regiment from Tang's forces was tasked with defending the city of Gutian. On October 2, General Xu Shuzheng from the Anhui faction arrived at Wang Yongquan's army with military funds amounting to 800,000 taels and announced the establishment of an organization called the "National Military and Political Administration Office," claiming to oversee the affairs of the National Military Government. This left everyone bewildered, as they were unsure what this entity, which sounded reminiscent of offices from the Ming or Song dynasties, actually was. However, all of this had no relation to Luo Yaoguo's supplementary battalion, as Luo Yaoguo's campaign in Fujian had thus far merely followed along.
This is the map of Fuzhou. The Commander-in-Chief has already made plans to send Huang Dawei and Li Fulin's troops to launch a surprise attack on Li Houji's stronghold in Fuzhou. You must participate in this battle; such an opportunity is rare! This is the map of Fuzhou that I obtained from the General Staff. Look here." Luo Yiqun pointed to a bridge over the Min River and said: "This is Hongshan Bridge. When the time comes, you must find a way to secure the mission to attack Hongshan Bridge. Even if it doesn't succeed, you should strive to participate in the assault, understand? Beyond the bridge is the West Gate of Fujian, and outside the West Gate of Fujian is the Fujian Manufacturing Plant. This was the arms factory established by Zuo Zongtang back in the day. Now, there are factories for rifles, machine guns, ammunition, and coinage. On the opposite bank of the Min River, there is also a smokeless powder factory.
This time, Li Houji faced the combined forces of Wang Yongquan, Sun Yat-sen, various militia, and the navy, and there was no way out for him. Moreover, even if someone were to come to his rescue, would he dare to let them in?
Luo Yiqun smiled slightly and gave Shunzi a knowing glance, signaling him to step outside: "Fuwen, your second uncle has come here for a good reason." As he spoke, Luo Yiqun took out a map and spread it on the table
Secondly, the naval power in Fujian is particularly strong. This group of naval forces is determined to turn Fujian into their territory. In the chaotic battles in other regions during the Republic of China, the navy played a minor role, but in Fujian, the navy once had its own territory; Xiamen was once a stronghold of the navy
The entire army is set to march, with the Gao Hailan First Battalion leading the way, the Luo Yaoguo Supplementary Battalion as the second unit, and the Command Headquarters along with the Hu Jiabi Second Battalion as the rear unit. Chief of Staff Wu Han issued the departure order loudly
"All together, march in step." The loud-voiced Wang Bao, upon seeing the First Battalion set off, immediately issued the order to depart. After giving the command, he continued to follow Luo Yaoguo, serving as both a messenger and bodyguard.
At this time, the military governor Li Houji in Fuzhou City was still unaware that Wang Yongquan had already allied with Sun Yat-sen, and that even the navy had participants involved.
"Second Uncle, what brings you here? Shunzi, quickly serve tea to the Chief of Staff." Just as Luo Yaoguo had settled in at the camp in Gutian County, he suddenly noticed that his Second Uncle, Luo Yiqun, had arrived at his headquarters, looking quite pleased, as if there was some good news.
Commander Luo Yaoguo of the First Supplementary Battalion of the Northern Expedition Army reported to Commander Qiu. Luo Yaoguo, accompanied by approximately three hundred personnel from the supplementary battalion, arrived at the assembly point at the southern gate of Gutian, located the unit of Qiu Hongjun, and promptly approached to make contact.
"Third brother, do you think there will be any dangers in our rapid advance to Fuzhou this time?" Wang Bao discussed the situation of the battle with Luo Yaoguo while marching.