Chapter 10: Suppression of Rebellion

Ye Wenlong replied: "Yes, the Lu family is a prominent clan in the area, with a thriving population, which is why they built five earthen fortresses for residence. The fortresses are square in shape, approximately 100 meters in length and width, 6 to 7 meters thick, and 20 meters high. There are four gates facing east, west, south, and north, and the walls and watchtowers at the four corners have shooting holes. Inside the fortresses, there are wells and a large stockpile of food and ammunition, sufficient to last for at least six months."

Ye Wenlong hurriedly asked, "I also want to participate in the anti-bandit operations, is that possible?"

After a period of intense preparation, in half a month, "Zhangzhou Military and Political University" began its classes in a dilapidated temple outside the city. Among the nearly one hundred students enrolled in the first batch, apart from about twenty officers, the rest were key members of local militia groups and village leaders. The school adopted a rotational training method, with each term lasting two months, planning to complete the first round of training in ten months. Due to a severe shortage of teaching staff, the school temporarily offered only four courses: History, Economics, Military Science, and Politics. The military course was taught by Sun Baili, while Du Zhounan was responsible for Economics and Politics, and the History course was personally taught by the principal, Lu Hongtu. On the opening day, under Sun Baili's deliberate arrangement, the students wore large red flowers on their chests and were escorted by soldiers from the Independent Brigade, marching proudly through the city to the school entrance. Notable figures from various sectors were invited to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, creating a lively atmosphere with drums and firecrackers, attracting countless citizens to watch. Under the envious gazes of the crowd, the students felt an immense sense of honor, achieving the effect that Sun Baili had anticipated.

Accompanied by the sounds of various gunfire, several shells accurately landed in the center of the main fortress, followed by a tremendous explosion, with thick smoke rising. The bandits, feeling that the end was near, became flustered, running back and forth along the walls, emitting strange cries. Seeing that the time was right, Sun Baili said to Chen Zijian: "Send someone to the villagers' homes to buy some quilts and Eight Immortals tables, and, following the method just introduced by Commander Ye, make a few earth tanks to cover the soldiers' charge, striving to resolve the issue in one attack!"

While Sun Baili was deep in thought, Chen Zijian, leading the front troops, rushed over, looking disheveled and covered in dirt. It turned out that upon his arrival, he immediately organized an attack, hoping to seize a earthen fort in one go. After injuring a dozen men, he finally placed the explosives at the base of the wall. However, after a loud explosion and a cloud of dust, the result left Chen Zijian utterly astonished! On the fort, there was merely a shallow pit a few meters wide and a dozen centimeters deep, which was completely negligible against the six to seven meter thick wall, rendering it ineffective. After injuring a dozen men, he finally placed the explosives at the base of the wall. However, after a loud explosion and a cloud of dust, the result left Chen Zijian utterly astonished! On the fort, there was merely a shallow pit a few meters wide and a dozen centimeters deep, which was completely negligible against the six to seven meter thick wall, rendering it ineffective.

Sun Baili smiled and waved his hand, saying: "There is no need to thank me; with your talents, it is truly an underutilization to be in the security team!"

Ye Wenlong said, "Leave this matter to me!" Then, with a troubled expression, he added, "Could the brigade commander leave behind a portion of the seized grain?"

After completing this significant task, Sun Baili immediately recommended Du Zhounan to the provincial government for the position of Director of the Finance Department of the Executive Office, granting him full responsibility for the economic affairs of Zhangzhou. Cai Tingkai promptly approved this recommendation. Upon taking office, Du Zhounan vigorously implemented his economic policies, including reducing tariffs, reorganizing customs and taxation, combating smuggling, and establishing factories, all of which progressed simultaneously. The appearance of the Zhangzhou region quickly transformed. Those capitalists, small business owners, and local gentry who were initially skeptical of this military government found that the government was actively investing in industry and commerce, and thus ceased their wait-and-see approach. They began to tentatively establish some small-scale factories with modest investments, and the development of the Zhangzhou region gradually began to get back on track.

Dear Squidry book friend: The individuals colluding with Japan are Chen Jitang, Li Zongren, and Bai Chongxi in the "Liangguang Incident," rather than Cai Tingkai. Please refer to the relevant historical materials

Upon receiving the distress telegram from the security team, Sun Baili immediately set aside his work and personally led the Third Regiment and the artillery battalion to reinforce Zhangpu. After a night of rapid marching, the reinforcements arrived in Zhangpu early the next morning. Seeing the soldiers still inspecting the passersby at the city gate, Sun Baili let out a long sigh of relief: if the county town were to fall, other local forces still observing would surely take action in succession, and the consequences would be unpredictable. Upon entering the city, Sun Baili found it remarkably calm, with no signs of an attack by bandits: the streets were bustling with people coming and going, and the shops on both sides were wide open for business, creating a lively atmosphere. Other local forces still observing would surely take action in succession, and the consequences would be unpredictable. Upon entering the city, Sun Baili found it remarkably calm, with no signs of an attack by bandits: the streets were bustling with people coming and going, and the shops on both sides were wide open for business, creating a lively atmosphere.

Sun Baili inquired: "What is the combat capability of the bandits?"

Sun Baili was greatly astonished upon hearing this, and immediately began to reassess the security team leader. He was of medium build, with a dark complexion and an ordinary appearance. Sun Baili clearly remembered that during the military theory class he taught to the officers of the security team, this individual had asked the most questions. It seemed that this person had some talent in military matters, so he complimented him: "Commander Ye, you are commanding exceptionally well! If you are willing, once the bandit threat here is eliminated, I would like to transfer you to serve in the independent brigade. What do you think?"

Sun Baili inquired with the security team leader Ye Wenlong, who had come to greet him: "Have you really been attacked by bandits?"

Ye Congwen responded, "Apart from the remnants of Chen Guohui, who came to seek refuge with Lu Xingbang and possess some combat capability equivalent to about one battalion, the rest are merely a rabble. Most of the bandits are armed with old muskets, with only a small number of Hanyang rifles and a dozen light machine guns, and they have no artillery. They essentially lack any combat effectiveness; otherwise, I would not dare to take the initiative to sortie from the city to engage them. Lu himself is a local tyrant, completely ignorant of military maneuvers and warfare. Upon receiving news of our troop reinforcements, he immediately retreated back to his lair, which clearly shows his cowardice."

Sun Baili inquired: "Are you familiar with the terrain of Lu Family Village? Such a timid person dares to hold their ground, which must indicate that there is something reliable to depend on."

Ye Wenlong hurriedly asked, "What should we do with so many prisoners?"

Sun Baili initially insisted on handling official duties at the administrative office in the morning and teaching at the school in the afternoon. However, upon observing Du Zhounan's adeptness in managing affairs, he decided to delegate all governmental responsibilities to him, dedicating himself entirely to military training. Sun Baili first organized the entire brigade to conduct individual soldier training according to the requirements of the Sun Family Manual. Once a certain level of achievement was reached, he began to practice various tactics and the coordination between infantry and artillery. He also used the Japanese army as a hypothetical enemy to enhance training in bayonet techniques and to prepare for engagements with the enemy under aerial bombardment. Sun Baili hoped to improve the soldiers' combat capabilities through training that was even more rigorous than that of the Japanese army, thereby compensating for the significant disparity in weaponry and equipment. Many newly enlisted soldiers expressed dissatisfaction with the strict training; however, after hearing the firsthand experiences of veterans who participated in the Battle of Shanghai, they willingly committed themselves to the training.

Ye Wenlong watched as the bandit was toyed with by Sun Baili and said with admiration: "I never expected that a dirt fortress could be attacked in this way! Previously, when the Communist forces attacked a dirt fortress in western Fujian, they fought for three days and nights without success. It was only after that they thought of a method: they soaked several beds of cotton quilts in water and laid them on a Eight Immortals table to create a makeshift tank. Then, they hid behind it to carry out tunnel operations, digging a tunnel all the way to the base of the fortress's wall, and buried three coffins full of explosives, blowing a section of the wall down. Only then did they manage to take it. In comparison, the brigade commander's method is much more brilliant!"

These grains should have been seized by bandits from nearby villages. It is not yet the harvest season, and the farmers are short of food, making it easy for unrest to arise again

Sun Baili decided to probe once more, hoping to identify the shooting blind spots of the earthen fort. A company of soldiers lined up in an attack formation behind hastily constructed fortifications, preparing to charge. The covering troops began suppressive fire on the earthen fort, with both light and heavy machine guns opening fire, creating a cloud of dust and smoke above the fort. The bandits inside the five earthen forts immediately returned fire, and in an instant, the sound of gunfire erupted. Shotguns, rifles, and machine guns all fired together, leaving Sun Baili and his men bewildered. While it was understandable for the bandits in the direction of the attack to shoot, the distance between the other earthen forts and the independent brigade's starting position had already exceeded the range of rifles, let alone shotguns. Sun Baili was overjoyed and immediately ordered the troops to cease the attack, first constructing an artillery position on a nearby high ground, and then building makeshift fortifications around the earthen fort to complete the encirclement of Lujiacun and prevent the bandits from breaking out.

Initially, the strategic guideline established by the 19th Route Army upon entering Fujian was to adopt a defensive posture against the Red Army in western Fujian, stabilize the order in the defense zone, and simultaneously develop southeastern Fujian as a rear base for the 19th Route Army. The first step was to resolve the issue of Chen Guohui's troops, who were operating freely in southeastern Fujian, including Yongchun, Datian, Xianyou, and Putian, through military force: first detaining Chen Guohui, executing him at the request of the local populace, and dispatching troops to completely eliminate his several thousand men. Subsequently, other local forces entrenched in various areas, under pressure, expressed their acceptance of the command of the 19th Route Army, which secured a relatively stable rear for them. However, Chiang Kai-shek was extremely dissatisfied with the 19th Route Army's passive approach to suppressing the Communists, issuing continuous orders to attack the Red Army, threatening military law if they did not comply. Cai Tingkai had no choice but to send the 78th Division, led by Qu Shounian, to advance westward from Nanjing and Yong'an to Liancheng. Unexpectedly, shortly after the division arrived in Liancheng, they encountered the main force of the Red Army's Third Corps, led by Peng Dehuai, which surrounded the 78th Division in Liancheng. After three days of fierce fighting, unable to withstand the Red Army's offensive, they had no choice but to abandon the city and retreat eastward, suffering losses of up to two regiments. Upon learning of the loss of Liancheng, Chiang Kai-shek was furious, sending a telegram from the Nanchang headquarters to reprimand them and ordering the recovery of Liancheng. Consequently, Cai Tingkai ordered the 60th Division to advance to Yong'an and the 61st Division to concentrate from Quanzhou through Datian towards Shaxian, while he personally led the supplementary division to the west bank areas of Shuikou and Youxi to organize defenses. However, the 61st Division was again defeated near Yanping and Qingzhou, suffering heavy losses.

The bandits watched helplessly as the earth tank approached step by step, having no choice but to abandon their rifles and pick up their sabers and spears, preparing for close combat. As soon as the earth tank reached the wall, the Independent Brigade launched a full-scale attack, with light and heavy machine guns and artillery firing together, suppressing the bandits to the point where they could not raise their heads. The attacking troops quickly jumped out from behind the earth tank, set up ladders, and began to scale the city wall. Due to the overwhelming firepower of the covering troops, the bandits could only wait until the soldiers of the Independent Brigade had climbed the wall before daring to jump out from their hiding places, surging forward to engage in battle with their sabers and spears, attempting to use their numerical advantage to drive the attacking troops back down. Concerned about friendly fire, the covering troops also ceased their fire support at this time. The front-line soldiers formed a dense formation, engaging the defending enemy with bayonets and pistols, while the soldiers in the back continuously threw grenades into the enemy ranks, quickly driving the enemy down from the wall, and then opened the gate from the inside. Realizing that the situation was hopeless and losing the courage to resist to the end, the bandits surrendered one after another, and within just an hour, five earth fortresses were successively captured.

Sun Baili decisively said: "Since that is the case, do not think any further. Let us go directly to Lujiatai and see if we can come up with a solution. The rebellion must be quelled in the shortest time possible, otherwise it will trigger a chain reaction"

Ye Wenlong was very pleased and immediately ran to deal with the prisoners. The identification of the prisoners had been ongoing for three days. After executing dozens of notorious bandits who had incited great public outrage, Sun Baili led the troops back to the county town with the remaining more than 500 prisoners. He then returned to Zhangzhou only after the rebellion in Zhangpu had been completely quelled

Ye Wenlong's expression grew serious as he said: "The earthen fort is constructed using yellow clay mixed with sand and lime, with important sections incorporating some brown sugar water or glutinous rice water. It is formed into large mud bricks through repeated pounding and compacting. Although it does not use reinforced concrete, it is exceptionally sturdy. I estimate that even direct bombardment with heavy artillery might not be able to breach it! I have been thinking about this for the past two days, but I still haven't found a good solution"

Sun Baili said: "My methods are not particularly clever; they can only deal with those who lack military experience! If the defenders have extensive battle experience, such tricks can be easily seen through!" He pointed to an earthen fort in the periphery and said: "Look, the smoke there is not thick at all, and we can completely see every move of our troops. If they notify the other forts of any activity through the pre-agreed communication methods, we will have no choice but to launch a strong attack! Now, not only have they failed to inform their allies, but they are also joining in the commotion; when others fire, they follow suit and fire as well. It is truly foolish!"

That night, although the Independent Brigade did not carry out any attack actions, the earth fort still intermittently fired shots outward, indicating a state of extreme bluster masking inner fear. The next morning, Sun Baili first arranged for the soldiers of the He Tushu Company to cut many branches from nearby mountains, then chose a location upwind to ignite them. Before long, the earth fort was enveloped in thick, rolling smoke. The bandits, obstructed in their line of sight, were thrown into disarray and immediately began firing wildly in all directions. At this moment, the soldiers of the Independent Brigade shouted in unison, causing the terrified bandits to continue firing indiscriminately, having long forgotten the need to conserve ammunition. After more than ten minutes, the bandits finally sensed something was amiss and hurriedly ceased fire. However, Sun Baili immediately ordered the light and heavy machine guns to open fire. Although the bandits suspected that this might not be a real attack, they did not dare to take risks and could only return fire against the Independent Brigade. After firing for a while, seeing that their ammunition was about to run out, they had no choice but to stop shooting. Regardless of the Independent Brigade's various provocations, they no longer paid any attention.

Upon arriving at the security regiment headquarters, Ye Wenlong immediately briefed Sun Baili on the enemy situation. He stated: "According to reliable intelligence, after the bandits retreated, they divided their forces to attack various towns and villages, forcibly conscripting local farmers into their ranks, and are making every effort to expand their army. Their main force has already retreated to Lujiatai, preparing to hold the stronghold and resist stubbornly."

Sun Baili stated: "We must conduct a thorough interrogation. The habitual criminals and ringleaders should be dealt with on the spot, while those who are coerced should be released immediately! I believe most of them are likely local farmers. You should find some locals to identify them; this may expedite the process."

Sun Baili said, "Of course, that is possible, but you must first assist me in handling the matters here"

Sun Baili readily agreed, saying: "After the inventory is completed, you can send someone to the surrounding villages to assess how much should be kept; the rest can be transported to Zhangzhou."

After leaving a contingent of troops in the county town to assist the security regiment in defending the area, Sun Baili, accompanied by Ye Wenlong, led the remaining forces directly to Lujiazha. The advance of the troops was remarkably smooth, encountering no attacks. After several hours of forced march, they arrived at their destination before sunset. Although he had mentally prepared himself, Sun Baili was still taken aback upon seeing the earthen fortifications: five massive fortresses spanned a flat area in the mountains. The central fortress had walls over twenty meters high and a side length of about one hundred fifty meters, surrounded by slightly smaller auxiliary fortresses. The distance between the earthen fortifications was approximately five hundred meters, allowing for convenient fire support; regardless of which fortress was attacked, the other fortifications posed a threat to the flanks. While marveling at the ingenuity of his compatriots, Sun Baili began to contemplate how to conquer these formidable fortresses.

Chen Zijian could no longer contain himself and urged, "Commander, the bandits haven't retaliated for a long time; they must be running low on ammunition. Can we charge now?"

Sun Baili smiled and said, "Let's not rush. Let's probe once more, but make a bigger commotion this time, and have the artillery fire a few rounds as well"

Ye Wenlong said happily: "I thank the brigade commander on behalf of the elders of my hometown"

Sun Baili said with a smile: "Such an opponent, no matter how fortified their stronghold, is equally vulnerable, so there is no need for a night assault. Moreover, from yesterday to today, the soldiers have already marched nearly 100 kilometers continuously and need a good rest."

Ye Wenlong quickly replied, "Of course I am willing! Thank you for your guidance, Chief Xu!"

Chen Zijian asked in confusion, "Are we really not going to fight anymore?"

Sun Baili was taken aback upon hearing this from Da He Tushu! He was surprised that such defensive structures still existed among the common people and hurriedly asked, "Is this earthen fortification sturdy?"

As soon as the news of the tense situation at the front line spread, landlords who had lost their land during the land reform and local warlords who had been forcibly disarmed began to gather their forces, uniting with various bandits to attack security teams across different regions, attempting to seize the opportunity to make a comeback and re-establish local power. The southeastern region of Fujian not only implemented the policy of land ownership for tillers earliest but also subsequently adopted economic policies that harmed the interests of many, making the situation particularly severe. After the bandits entrenched in Zhangpu joined forces with the remnants of Chen Guohui who had fled there, their strength significantly increased. Under the command of the bandit leader Lu Xingbang, they gathered more than three thousand people and launched a reckless attack on the county seat.

As time goes by, the training of the military is progressing effectively, and the economic situation in Zhangzhou is also beginning to improve comprehensively; however, the situation on the front lines is becoming increasingly severe

After Chen Zijian finished cleaning the battlefield, he ascended the wall and reported: "Brigade Commander, the results have been tallied. In this engagement, over 400 bandits were killed or wounded, and 2,700 were captured. The bandit leader, Lu Xingbang, was also killed. We seized more than 300 rifles, 17 light machine guns, and a large quantity of food and valuables that have yet to be counted. Our army suffered 11 fatalities and 54 injuries." He then added: "Most of our casualties were incurred during hand-to-hand combat."

Sun Baili continued, "The main force of the bandits has already been eliminated. There shouldn't be many left that Lu Xingbang sent out to attack the towns. I plan to leave one battalion to defend Zhangpu, while the other troops will be divided into ten small teams, coordinated with your security regiment, to pursue and capture the remaining bandits. Do you think there are any issues with this plan?"

Sun Baili nodded and commanded, "First, send two companies to transport the bodies of our fallen brothers and the wounded back to Zhangzhou, and also bring along the belongings to hand over to Du Zhounan for handling." He then added, "Also send the wounded among the captives along, instructing the hospital to treat them well without discrimination"

After the gunfire subsided, Sun Baili and Ye Wenlong walked into the main fortress in the center. Passing through a gate that was seven meters thick, they were greeted by a large square filled with captives. The soldiers of the Independent Brigade occasionally brought out new prisoners from the nearby houses. Sun Baili strolled up to the ramparts and noticed that the twenty-meter-high walls were riddled with gun ports, yet there were no windows at all. He couldn't help but feel astonished and even more admiring of the wisdom of the ancients.

Ye Wenlong responded: "There are more than 3,000 bandits, led by their chief Lu Xing, who set out from their stronghold, Lu Family Village, three days ago, intending to attack the county town. When I received the news, the combined forces of the security regiment and the police in the town numbered only about 300, making it impossible to hold the defense. Therefore, I decided to take the initiative and set an ambush in Jiulonggou, twenty miles west of the town, where we defeated a company of their advance troops. Subsequently, we constructed fortifications on the eastern bank of the Xiaoqing River, which was a necessary route for the enemy. Since I had control of the boats along the river on the eastern bank, the bandits could only attack via a small bridge over the river, unable to leverage their numerical advantage. After a day of fierce fighting, they were still unable to capture the small bridge. Fearing the arrival of my reinforcements, they retreated last night. In this battle, the security regiment suffered 17 fatalities and 36 injuries, while we killed or captured 230 enemy troops and wounded several hundred."