Why did the famous commander go to the brigade commander as a deputy? Is Xu Shiyou's strike true or false?
In January 1939, the brigade headquarters of the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army moved to Xiangchenggu, Qiu County, Hebei Province. At noon one day, the brigade headquarters picked up a room and set up a banquet. It is said that it is a banquet, but in fact, there are not many dishes, mainly canned beef captured from the Japanese army, as well as several plates of Cabbage, potatoes and the like. In addition, there are two bottles of wine that are also trophies.
It can be seen that although this banquet is relatively simple, the specifications are not low. You know, the living conditions of the troops at that time were very difficult, which was the only thing that the 386Th Brigade had.
What is the reason for such a solemn banquet? In fact, to celebrate the appointment of a new official, he was Xu Shiyou, a famous general who had just come from Taihang Mountain and was transferred to the deputy commander of the 386 brigade.
Xu Shiyou is a big name in our army, it is said that he was born in the Shaolin Temple, trained in martial arts, had excellent strength, and fought bravely. From July 1933, he successively served as deputy commander of the Red Ninth Army and commander of the 25th Division, deputy commander and commander of the Red Fourth Army, and commander of the cavalry of the Red Fourth Front.
So why is he now a deputy brigade commander? Actually, this is not surprising.
After the beginning of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army, the troops were reduced, and the cadres were naturally demoted and used. The commander of the army grew into a brigade commander and a deputy brigade commander, the division commander grew into a regimental commander, a deputy regimental commander, and some cadres even became soldiers in the company. At that time, there were indeed some cadres who couldn't figure it out and made a little fuss about it.
Today, Xu Shiyou, the former commander of the army and commander of the cavalry, has been sent to the 386th Brigade and becomes a deputy brigade commander, while Chen Geng's highest position in the Red Army period is only division commander, and now Xu Shiyou is his deputy commander. This could not but make Chen Geng more or less suspicious. What's more, he had long heard that Xu Shiyou was a hot-tempered person, and could he and himself and Wang Xinting's political commissar cooperate happily?
In short, Chen Geng, the optimist, also had no bottom in his heart, but no matter what, Xu Shiyou came and wanted a warm welcome. Therefore, this banquet is of the highest specification. In addition to Chen Geng, Wang Xinting, political commissar of the 386 Brigade, Ding Silin, commander of the New First Regiment, Wei Jie, commander of the 688 Regiment, Han Dongsheng of the Supplementary Regiment, and Xie Jiaqing, captain of the three major detachments of the Advance Detachment, all attended the welcoming banquet and jointly took the lead for Xu Shiyou.
After everyone was seated, Chen Geng raised his wine glass, looked at everyone, and then smiled and said to Xu Shiyou, who was sitting next to him: "Welcome Commander Xu to our brigade to guide the work and lead everyone to fight the devils together..."
Before the words could be heard, Xu Shiyou stood up at once: "No, no, no, Comrade Chen Geng, I am not here to guide your work, I am here to assist you in your work!" ”
Then he patted his chest and said, "Everyone knows that in the past I was a military commander and a cavalry commander, but this is all in the past." Now fighting the Japanese devils, I arrived at the 386 Brigade, resolutely obeyed the arrangements of the superiors, and fully assisted Comrade Chen Geng! ”
Hearing his words, everyone nodded approvingly. Chen Geng smiled and said, "Commander Xu Jun's name is true, and it is indeed a carrot cut on the threshold - it is simply crisp!" Saying that, he raised the coarse porcelain wine bowl and took the lead in persuading Xu Shiyou to drink.
Xu Shiyou was also not polite, holding the wine bowl, leaning back and drinking a bottom to the sky, wiping his mouth and saying: "Comrade Chen Geng, please don't worry too much, I Xu Shiyou counts when you speak." As long as Comrade Chen Geng has a word, I xu Shiyou will go up the sword mountain and go down to the sea of fire, and I will not quit in death! ”
Chen Geng was not yet fully accustomed to Xu Shiyou's habit of speaking, and when he heard the words "on the sword mountain and down the sea of fire" with the meaning of the jianghu, he couldn't help but feel a little amused in his heart, so he smiled and said: "Commander Xu's words are inappropriate..."
He originally wanted to express the meaning of the democratic decision-making of the revolutionary contingent, but he did not expect that the 34-year-old Xu Shiyou was still so vigorous, and he was usually most afraid of others refuting his words, that is, refuting them correctly, and he sometimes did not let them.
The two words "inappropriate" made me a little unhappy, and I lowered my eyelids and said without looking at anyone: "If my words are wrong, then that means that today the brigade headquarters is not welcoming me Xu Vice Shiyou, then I should quit!"
At this point, he lifted his legs and walked outside, two steps to the door of the house.
This sudden move made everyone present stunned and a little overwhelmed. Wang Xinting, Ding Silin, Wei Jie, and others hurriedly stepped forward to grab Xu Shiyou and said, "Comrade Xu Shiyou is right, very right!"
Xu Shiyou looked back at Chen Geng, which meant nothing more than to make Chen Geng take a stand.
Chen Geng used his index finger to push the myopic mirror on the bridge of his nose, laughed, and sincerely said: "Good you Xu Shiyou, sure fast and fast!" Well, Comrade Xu Shiyou obeyed the order and sat down to drink! ”
Xu Shiyou "snapped" a military salute and said loudly: "Yes, guarantee to complete the task!" Then he smacked his lips and said, "I just tasted a few good wines, and I still can't bear to leave!" “
The crowd laughed and dispersed.
Xu Shiyou did what he said, and he really did his best to assist Chen Geng. More than ten days later, he and Chen Geng worked closely together to lead the 386th Brigade to fight a very beautiful ambush battle in the Xiangchenggu area, luring and annihilating a reinforced infantry squadron of the Japanese army, killing more than 200 people below the enemy's brigade commander and capturing 8 people, which not only dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese army, but also created an example of our army's ambush warfare on the plains. It was not until September 1940, when he was transferred to the commander of the Third Brigade of the Shandong Column, that he ended his cooperation with Chen Geng.