Chapter 19: The New Regiment? I cannot find any record of your unit designation!

"I am Li Yunlong, Commander of the New First Regiment, 386th Brigade, 129th Division."

Watching the two sides locked in a tense standoff, Li Yunlong stepped forward. At this moment, the uniform Li Yunlong wore was covered in patches. The New First Regiment was a hastily assembled cadre unit; the vast majority of its soldiers carried nothing more than red-tasseled spears. The entire regiment of three to four hundred men could not even scrape together fifty rifles.

Sun Ming glanced at Li Yunlong without even offering a salute. "I am Sun Ming, Captain and Adjutant of the 358th Regiment! Your New First Regiment does not appear on the Military Affairs Commission’s official order of battle. We have no record of your unit's designation."

One young soldier, unable to swallow the insult, acted as Li Yunlong's mouthpiece and snapped, "Bullshit! Then where the hell do you think we came from?"

"Damn it, if you don't recognize the designation of the New First Regiment, do you recognize the machine guns in our hands?"

Seeing Sun Ming insulted, the Shaanxi-Suiyuan Army soldiers guarding the ferry crossing raised their rifles without needing an order. They chambered rounds into their light and heavy machine guns, and the two sides stood on the brink of an armed clash.

Just as a firefight seemed imminent, Deputy Regiment Commander (Political Commissar) Zhong Zhicheng hurried forward to scold them: "Is it your place to speak? Put your guns down!"

"What are you doing? We are all friendly forces! Do you really intend for Chinese to kill Chinese? Our New First Regiment is crossing the Yellow River to resist the Japanese and fight the invaders!"

Zhong Zhicheng was dripping with cold sweat; the weapons held by the Shaanxi-Suiyuan soldiers were the real deal. There were over a dozen firing positions at the ferry crossing alone, bristling with submachine guns and machine guns that he couldn't even count at a glance. They were all top-tier equipment. With his few hundred men, they would likely be mowed down before they could even get close.

"Lower your weapons!" Sun Ming frowned and gestured to his men behind him.

Not far away, Chu Yunfei, who was rushing toward the ferry, heard the commotion and his expression changed. "Damn it, something is going to happen!" Fang Ligong and Chu Yunfei quickened their pace.

"Regiment Commander, present!" The Shaanxi-Suiyuan soldiers immediately snapped to attention, respectfully clearing a path.

Chu Yunfei and Fang Ligong, dressed in crisp uniforms, walked with steady strides toward the crowd. Fang Ligong, maintaining his composure, stepped forward to introduce himself: "I am Fang Ligong, Major and Chief of Staff of the 358th Regiment. This is our Colonel and Regiment Commander, Chu Yunfei."

Although the main authority had arrived, Li Yunlong barely reined in his bandit-like demeanor. He frowned and offered a military salute first: "I am Li Yunlong, Commander of the New First Regiment, 386th Brigade."

Chu Yunfei returned the salute: "So, it is Commander Li!"

Li Yunlong did not dare to be arrogant. Though wild, he knew how to read the situation. "You are too kind, Commander Chu. In terms of rank, we are equals."

"And this is?"

Zhong Zhicheng also saluted: "Zhong Zhicheng, Deputy Commander of the New First Regiment."

Chu Yunfei nodded. "Let us dispense with the formalities. Sun Ming, why are you preventing our friendly forces from leaving?"

Sun Ming stepped forward and reported: "Reporting to the Commander, the New First Regiment of the 386th Brigade is not on the list issued by the Military Affairs Commission."

Chu Yunfei looked surprised as he took the order of battle list from Sun Ming. "There is indeed no designation for a New First Regiment among the divisions under the Eighth Route Army. Brother Yunlong, what kind of unit is this, and why can I not find your designation on the Military Affairs Commission's list?"

Hearing Chu Yunfei's question, Li Yunlong cursed inwardly. *Damn these Shaanxi-Suiyuan soldiers. I thought I’d run into someone reasonable, but it turns out these bastards are just here to make my life difficult. They have such good equipment but don't use it to fight the Japanese, choosing instead to guard a ferry. Isn't this just pure, unadulterated aggravation?*

"What do you think we crossed the Yellow River for? To attend a banquet?" Li Yunlong’s temper flared, his eyes widening. "We are here to fight the Japanese, to put our lives on the line! On what grounds are you stopping us?"

Fang Ligong frowned, and Sun Ming looked ready to reach for the pistol at his waist. Chu Yunfei, however, did not seem bothered and laughed heartily: "If that is the case, Brother Yunlong, it seems your unit is crossing the Yellow River to fulfill your duty to protect the country. In that case, I, Chu, on behalf of the Shaanxi-Suiyuan Army, extend to you a warm welcome!"

After he spoke, led by Chu Yunfei, the Shaanxi-Suiyuan officers saluted first. Li Yunlong, Zhong Zhicheng, and Guan Dashan were confused by Chu Yunfei’s motives, but the Eighth Route Army soldiers instinctively returned the salute.

However, after the salute, Chu Yunfei still did not clear the path. Li Yunlong was puzzled and asked: "Commander Chu, since your army welcomes us, why not open the road? We have official business to attend to..."

"Brother Yunlong, one thing at a time. I and all my officers admire your patriotic hearts, but we, too, are on official business." Chu Yunfei’s tone was calm, as if he were discussing a trivial matter. "If I were to allow a unit not on the Military Affairs Commission's order of battle to cross the Yellow River, and this news reached the ears of Commander Yan or even the Generalissimo, I, Chu Yunfei, could not bear the consequences!"

Li Yunlong raised an eyebrow, his voice lowering slightly: "Then what do you suggest?"

"How about this, Brother Yunlong, Brother Zhicheng? Let your unit rest at the ferry for a few days. I will communicate with my superiors and see how we can handle this. How does that sound?"

Li Yunlong and Zhong Zhicheng exchanged a look, communicating through their eyes. "Fine, then we shall wait at the ferry for a while!"

"Wu Ziqiang!"

"Present!"

"Arrange for the Second Battalion to vacate some of the barracks."

"Yes!" The soldiers of the New First Regiment were cooperative enough.

"Regiment Commander, looking at their condition, they don't seem like they get enough to eat. Does a unit like this really have any combat capability?" Fang Ligong’s voice whispered in Chu Yunfei’s ear.

Chu Yunfei turned around and continued to give orders: "Go and arrange for some hot food to be prepared for these soldiers. Also, prepare fifty of the older rifles we have replaced. But mind you, collect the rifles first; do not give them away yet."

Fang Ligong was shocked and advised: "Commander, they are the Eighth Route Army. If you do this and it reaches Commander Yan’s ears, there could be trouble."

"Brother Ligong, true gold fears no fire. Do not worry."

Sun Ming stood where he was, looking at the two. Chu Yunfei nodded slightly. After saluting, Sun Ming turned and left: "Yes, Commander, I will go prepare it immediately."

...

"Old Zhong, you have a lot of tricks up your sleeve. What is this Chu Yunfei actually up to?"

Zhong Zhicheng, who had served in the First Front Army and was over fifty years old, had seen many storms in his time, but he couldn't figure this one out. Chu Yunfei was refined and held a clear stance. It didn't seem like he was just trying to stall them. Moreover, given the strength of the 358th Regiment, if they wanted to deal with them, they could have just wiped them out at the ferry earlier. There was no need for all these extra maneuvers.

Zhong Zhicheng frowned and reminded: "Old Li, you must be careful with your words. Don't go around saying 'I' like a bandit. Besides, according to the original river-crossing plan, the 772nd Regiment is not far behind us. If it really comes to it, we'll pull back and combine our two regiments. I don't believe for a second he won't let us cross the river then!"