The vicissitudes of the sea show the true character of the hero. People are in the embankment, and they swear to live and die with the embankment! More than just slogans.

Before the arrival of the flood peak, the logistics team and male medical staff worked with the local people to carry sacks, wood and other materials to the embankment. When Hong Feng arrived, he fought with the front-line officers and soldiers, and resisted the Taotao River with his flesh and blood. After the flood peak passed, he had to hold on to the injured people, clean the wounds, disinfect and bandage.

The female medical staff and the old-timers of the expert group, not only as hygienists but also as supply workers, took more than 30 female interns who had just joined the battle to shuttle through the embankment in constant danger to provide all logistical support, including medical treatment, to the officers and soldiers and the masses who were fighting on the front line.

More than a month has passed in such a cycle, and the 472 officers and men and staff of the Longjiang Air Force Hospital, together with the four units that have arrived one after another, have ushered in five flood peaks one after another!

The embankment is still there, but all the supplies brought before and the supplies in between have been exhausted. The two diesel generator sets stopped roaring half a month ago because of overload operation; The dozen or so filter pools that were excavated were also polluted by the soaring water level, and they could not even drink the water that was difficult to swallow after disinfection, so they could only share a bottle of precious mineral water with a few people, as well as the only glucose that was available in the field hospital.

In the past month or so, everyone has been exhausted and scarred. How many times I fell down and didn't want to open my eyes, it was a pair of hands around me that made them stand up and run again, and it was the bodies that supported each other shoulder to shoulder, so that they could unite as one.

After the danger was cleared, he climbed up from the water, Tian Wenjian lay on the ground, and he didn't want to move. I worked with the militia for two days in a row, and I was so tired that I fell asleep when I collapsed.

Director Kang and the others stumbled up the embankment, brought supplies, patted him, and put compressed biscuits and half a bottle of water beside him. I don't know how long later, Tian Wenjian opened his eyes and found someone squatting next to him, with alcohol and gauze on the ground. He looked up and saw Director Han pulling his left arm, but he was completely unconscious.

"Are you alright?" The voice was low, as if it wasn't his own.

Han Jingyun was tanned, lost a whole weight, groaned tears, and wrapped gauze around his arm without saying a word. After a while, he squeezed his wrist and asked, "Do you feel it?" ”

"Nope."

"Where's the palm?"

"Not either."

She pressed it on his forearm again, "What about this?" ”

Tian Wenjian sat up strongly, withdrew his arm, and said with a wry smile: "Don't bother, soak wood in the water, it'll be fine for a while." ”

Then reach for the water and compressed biscuits next to it, nibble on it, and get up to see how the others are doing. Two soldiers of the communications detachment were guarding the headquarters with a radio station, and on the embankment several kilometers long, there were dangerous situations everywhere that had to be communicated in a timely manner, and at every other distance there was a point set up, and a soldier was on duty with a single soldier radio on his back or holding a walkie-talkie.

As he walked up the embankment, he saw a group of people who had just arrived, building a temporary U-shaped embankment outside the breach with gravel and cement. After walking for a while, they met Yang Xiaoguang head-on, and they also went to Chagang, the two looked at each other, they were all bearded and ragged, how funny and funny they were, and couldn't help but point at each other and laugh.

Yang Xiaoguang took out the last packet of red plums, stuffed one into his mouth, looked at the turbid surging river, and asked lightly, "Did Sister Han tell you?" ”

Tian Wenjian subconsciously touched his pocket, and then remembered that he had been soaking in the water for so long, not to mention that he didn't have a lighter on his body, even if he had a lighter, he couldn't use it. Yang Xiaoguang glanced back, and hurriedly took out a lighter to light it for him.

Meimei took a few puffs, and after being too addicted to smoking, Tian Wenjian asked weakly, "What did you say?" ”

"The drugs are gone, not only do we not have them, but there are also no pharmaceutical companies at the city and county levels, and we are really running out of ammunition now."

Tian Wenjian nodded slightly, then turned around, pointed to the tent of the flood control headquarters a few hundred meters away, and said, "Let's go, go and see if they have any way?" ”

The flood control commander of the Huangzhou section is still Vice Mayor Qian, but the deputy commander-in-chief has changed several times. Thinking that the deputy commander-in-chief on duty today, Major General Zheng Guliang of the Political Department of the Xijiang Provincial Military Region, had soaked in water with everyone for more than ten hours, Yang Xiaoguang shook his head and said: "Don't go and make trouble, even if you look for them, you won't be able to solve any problems for a while." ”

When it comes to danger, there are many places that are more dangerous than the Huangzhou section. Speaking of difficulties, compared with those troops parachuted in, the conditions of the Longjiang Air Force Hospital are simply heavenly. At the very least, you can eat compressed biscuits, sleep in tents when resting, and mosquito nets that other troops can't even think of.

Tian Wenjian sighed, looked at the busy people under the embankment, and said thoughtfully: "Political commissar, since the medicine is exhausted and the supplies can't be replenished for a while and a half, let's arrange for the old experts and Director Han to go back first." ”

"That's what I thought too."

Yang Xiaoguang nodded heavily, and said solemnly: "The old experts are old and frail, and if they continue like this, there will be problems sooner or later." Sister Han and Helan couldn't stand it, and they fainted three yesterday. It's not easy for our rabble to hold out for nearly two months. ”

"It's definitely not okay to say it, you have to find a way to trick them back, make up your own reasons, and achieve your goal."

"Okay, I'll go to Lao Jiang and Chairman Wu to discuss, and by the way, draw up a list of evacuees."

Political Commissar Yang stumbled down the embankment, but Tian Wenjian still dragged his tired body and limped to the tent of the headquarters.

There were a lot of people in the tent, and they sat there with solemn expressions listening to the radio. Seeing Tian Wenjian open the curtain and walk in, Vice Mayor Qian motioned to the secretary to bring a wooden box and motioned for him to sit down and listen together.

“…… Among you are the 'Eighth Company of Shangganling Special Merit', and the spirit of Shangganling will always live in the hearts of the commanders and fighters of the whole army. Among you are also the company where Huang Jiguang was during his lifetime, and Huang Jiguang's heroic dedication will always be engraved in the hearts of the vast number of soldiers and civilians......"

It was the voice of the general secretary, looking at the people who were covered in mud and had their faces tanned by the scorching sun, and the look of excitement, Tian Wenjian realized that it must be a live broadcast on the radio, and the general secretary should also be on the embankment at this time to personally express his condolences to the officers and soldiers participating in the war.

"Now that the struggle against floods and rescue of the Yangtze River has reached the critical moment of the decisive battle, you must continue to carry forward the spirit of fighting continuously without fear of fatigue and hardship, fight in unity, persevere to the end, and win the final victory in the fight against floods and rescue of emergencies!"

"Do the comrades have confidence?"

"Yes!"

The officers and men on the radio were excited, and the overwhelming voices soared into the sky, overwhelming the surging waves. Seeing that everyone couldn't help shedding tears, Tian Wenjian suddenly had a feeling of being there.

A shocking and grand scene emerged in front of my eyes: huge slogans were all over the embankment, strong embankments made of bags of sand and stones stood majestically, military flags of heroic teams from different historical periods were unfurled in the wind, and groups of officers and soldiers wearing camouflage uniforms and orange life jackets lined up neatly...... After listening to the live broadcast, Vice Mayor Qian stood up with a heavy face, took a telegram handed by the secretary, looked around at everyone, and said in a choked voice: "Comrades, as the deputy mayor of Huangzhou City, as the on-site commander who has persisted on the embankment for nearly two months, I have no face to read this order I just received to you.

But I am a [***] member and a leading cadre. For the sake of the safety of the lives and property of millions of people in the three cities downstream, I could only obey the order and abandon this embankment, which tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians had held for nearly two months. ”

His words were like a thunderbolt from the sky, and everyone was caught off guard. The magistrate of Fenglin County, Lu County, was the first to come to his senses, slapped the table, and roared violently: "Do you know what it means to give up the embankment? For this embankment, we paid for thirteen lives! Once abandoned, the three townships and hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland will become an ocean, and nearly 100,000 people will be homeless! ”

"This is an order from the Provincial Defense Headquarters, and the armed police officers and soldiers who blew up the embankment will arrive in three hours, and we will have six hours to evacuate."

Vice Mayor Qian took a deep breath, stared at County Magistrate Lu, whose face was distorted and deformed, and looked so hideous, and continued: "Old Lu, we haven't been working together for a day or two, and on major issues of right and wrong, I hope you don't make mistakes in principle and surname." ”

Tian Wenjian was completely stunned, secretly thinking that the Infantry Regiment of the C Division of the R Group Army, the A Division of the G Army of the Airborne Forces, the Zhouqiao Brigade of the F Group Army of the Eastern Naval Region, and nearly 10 units of his own Longjiang Air Force Hospital had held the embankment for two months with their flesh and blood, and they were about to be blown up by their own people.

After holding on for nearly two months and spending so much manpower and financial resources, is it worth it?

Director Zheng of the Political Department of the Provincial Military District was pale, and he sat there silently, as if he was also thinking about the same problem. Maybe he thought about it more, and just didn't speak.

"What do you mean by right and wrong?"

As soon as Vice Mayor Qian finished speaking, a middle-aged cadre stood up, slapped the table, and shouted with tears in his eyes: "The embankment burst, it was a natural disaster [***], we admit it!" But now that the embankment is in good condition, how can you let me explain to the people? ”

The work of the common people is difficult to do, is it possible to tell them that for the safety of several cities downstream, they need to make sacrifices to let the crops and houses disappear into the water to divert the flood for the upcoming sixth flood peak?

Seeing Vice Mayor Qian's trembling appearance, the old engineer of the Municipal Water Conservancy Bureau stood up, pointed to the map and whispered: "The sixth flood peak, the flow reached 63,300 cubic meters per second, more than any previous one. Even if we invest tens of thousands more, it will be difficult to ensure the safety of the embankment. ”

General Zheng, who has the highest level in the command headquarters but has been under the command of Vice Mayor Qian, weighed it up, stood up suddenly, and said through gritted teeth: "Instead of staying here, cause unnecessary casualties." It is better to evacuate early to reduce the pressure on several cities downstream. Comrades, carry out the order. ”

The surging river water does not shed the sad tears of the victims; There are many barren mounds, buried with the blood, tears and hatred of the villagers; Tian Wenjian's heart was broken, and the sight of people escaping from the flood appeared in front of him, either begging along the streets, or sheltering in the embankment, and the scene of precariousness and grief everywhere.

Will the relief supplies and funds reach them? How should this compensation be calculated?

Tian Wenjian couldn't hold back any longer, stood up suddenly, and said bitterly: "Leaders, it's easy to blow up the embankment, but have you ever thought about how to resettle those victims?" Are they allowed to live in sheds made of plastic sheeting, woven bags, straw, tree branches, and wooden sticks, with no way out but to wait for the flood waters to recede? With rolling waves under your feet and summer flames on your head, you are enduring hunger and living a miserable life? ”

Only then did Director Zheng remember that in addition to the Fenglin County Party Committee and the cadres of several towns and villages along the river, the young man in front of him and his Air Force Hospital were the people who had been sticking to the embankment for the longest time.

The mood is understandable, but obedience to orders is the duty of a soldier. Not to mention that he, the director of the hospital who didn't even have a number, even the more than 100 generals who insisted on staying on the embankment had to accept the command of the general defense department.

Director Zheng didn't want this young man who dared to fight hard to make a mistake, so he immediately turned around, stared at his eyes, and said with great seriousness: "Comrade Tian Wenjian, the Longjiang Air Force Hospital has successfully completed its mission. In the name of the Political Department of the Tay Giang Provincial Military Region, I order your department to withdraw immediately. If the vehicle is not enough, I'll tune it for you! If you can't take the equipment away, I'll make it up for you! Execute the order. ”

"Yes!"

Tian Wenjian gritted his teeth and saluted with tears streaming down his face. Then he turned around and saluted the magistrate of Fenglin County, Lu County, Secretary Wang of Linjiang Town, Mayor Xu and others, who had been fighting side by side for nearly two months, and then walked out of the tent without looking back, and ran down the embankment like a knife.

Halfway through, he came back again, walked to the side of County Magistrate Lu as if no one was around, clasped his hands, choked up and said: "County Magistrate Lu, please send someone to follow me to receive tents, generator sets, communication equipment and other equipment, I think you need it more than us." ”

County Magistrate Lu bit his lip, nodded heavily, and said solemnly while signaling Mayor Xu to receive the supplies from the Air Force Hospital: "Thank you, thank you Dean Tian, thank you comrades from the Air Force Hospital." ”

"Goodbye!"

It was already nine o'clock in the morning when they returned to the camp, and Political Commissar Yang and others, who were studying how to deceive the old experts and some female comrades back, were stunned by the news brought back by Dean Tian. However, thinking that the embankment would be blown up in six hours, he had no choice but to order Vice President Shi, who was 30 kilometers away, to immediately hand over the Honghu Field Hospital to the local comrades, and to lead more than 100 officers and men and workers there to return immediately with the personnel of the various medical points along the way.

After giving the order, Chairman Wu thought about it for a while, and said with a grim face: "One Cherokee, one Coaster, three ambulances and twelve trucks should be enough, and there is no need for them to send a car." As soon as they arrived, we set off, had lunch in the city and then got on the highway. ”

"Fortunately, no one went to the countryside to make rounds, otherwise it would be too late to call people." Section Chief Liao sighed lightly and said without self-deprecation: "If I knew this, it would be better not to come!" ”

Yang Xiaoguang, who didn't know how to explain to the officers and soldiers, shook his head slightly, and said helplessly: "Don't talk about this, go pack your luggage." ”

(To be continued)