Chapter 20: Bloody Battle, Breaking Out, Missing His Wife

"Lu Qing, what's wrong with you? Why did your face suddenly become so ugly? Are you sick? What's wrong with me this time? ”

Tian Yuanxiu's concerned inquiry made Fang Luqing's heart stir, she tried to regain her calm as soon as possible, and slowly opened her eyes, feeling mixed feelings and broken desires in her heart. She looked at Tian Yuanxiu with strange eyes, smiled unnaturally with difficulty, and said weakly:

"Suddenly dizzy, old sick, fine. It may be that I was walking too quickly on the way back to school just now, and the weather was so hot, which caused low blood sugar and vertigo. Yuanxiu, don't worry about me, it will be fine after a while. ”

"Alas! Look at me, I forgot to pour water for you when I was so happy to talk to you, Lu Qing, I'm sorry. After speaking, Tian Yuanxiu got up, picked up the glass with her left hand, and picked up the kettle with her right hand and poured water. Alas, it would be nice to have a little brown sugar. Lu Qing, let's take a sip of white water, drink it slowly, be careful not to burn it. Do you need to go to the hospital? ”

"Thank you. Yuanxiu, you don't have to be so nervous, just drink saliva and rest for a while, really. Fang Luqing took the cup and slowly drank two sips of warm water.

At this time, Fang Luqing's heart was full of doubts and puzzles, why was this the case? What's going on here? How did Tian Yuanxiu and Fang Jiren get together? They also have children? It's incredible, it's puzzling. Francis, whom she knew and understood, would never have done such a thing. Is this true or false?

In the ancestral hall, hearing the gunshots and shouts coming from the streets and alleys of the west of the village, Yu Genshan asked loudly in annoyance: "What's going on?!" Who gave the order to attack?! ”

"Report to the regiment commander, there is a fierce battle in the west of the village, but it is not our troops, our troops are still on covert standby, the specific situation is unknown." A fighter said.

"Huh? So what's going on? Who dares to do it? I have to punish him! After speaking, Yu Genshan picked up the binoculars on the table and walked out of the ancestral hall, followed by political commissar and Huang Zhongde. The three of them came to a private house next to the ancestral hall, climbed the ladder to the roof, stood beside Staff Officer Wu and raised the binoculars to look at the west of the village.

A dozen embarrassed and vicious Japanese soldiers surrounded Francis with bayonets, howling and trying to assassinate the lone Francis in front of him. The red-eyed Fang Jiren had no fear on his face, and the more he fought, the more courageous he became, his right hand broadsword and his left hand dagger flew up and down in the wind and rain, and from time to time devils fell beside him. Suddenly, he bent down and picked up the crooked machine gun discarded by the devil on the ground and swept across the enemy group, and the devil fell down in an instant......

Yu Genshan took the telescope to look at the west of the village, he was shocked by the scene, and couldn't help but exclaim: "Good fight!" Well played! Joyfully! It turned out to be him?! It's Francis. Staff Officer Wu ordered the troops to prepare for the attack. ”

The political commissar raised the binoculars, and Huang Zhongde took the binoculars from Staff Officer Wu and looked at the west of the village together. When they saw through the binoculars that Fang Jiren was alone and surrounded by many devils fighting without fear, they were stunned, and they couldn't help but admire and admire in their hearts.

The correspondent climbed to the roof and reported: "Commander, there is also a street battle in the north of the village. ”

"Huh? Who's that? Yu Genshan turned to look at the north of the village. Through the binoculars, he saw a burly and strong young man dressed as a villager, holding a shell gun in his left hand to shoot and kill the enemy, and picking up a big knife in his right hand to slash and kill devils, fighting to the death with seven or eight Japanese soldiers in the streets and alleys, and his bravery was extraordinary. Yu Genshan was inexplicable and admired.

The battle in the west of the village is getting more and more fierce, and there are more and more devils. Francis fought the enemy alone, running back and forth through the collapsed houses and yards on both sides of the streets, sometimes picking up guns on the ground to return fire, sometimes picking grenades from the corpses of devils and throwing them at the enemy group, causing the Japanese soldiers to be dizzy and in a dilemma. Suddenly, dozens of meters behind the Japanese soldiers, the sound of machine guns, rifle gunfire, and grenade explosions rang out, and the Japanese soldiers were knocked down again.

Yu Genshan looked at the north of the village and then the west of the village, and when he saw the scene of Fang Lusheng leading four people to attack and kill the enemy with Fang Jiren back and forth, he said to himself in confusion:

"Huh? What's going on? How did Fang Jiren and Fang Lusheng's people from Feiyun Village get to get it so fast? Correspondent, the two of you will immediately go to the west and north of the village respectively, inform the blocking troops on the second line to draw a platoon to support and meet them, and then go to the hidden troops on the first line and order them to attack, but not to fight hard, but to fight skillfully; Staff Officer Wu, you go to the second-line troops to command the battle, and once the enemy enters the effective firing range, immediately launch a full-scale counterattack and hit me hard. Ay? Political commissar, Director Huang, why haven't you two left yet? Hurry up and take the troops down the tunnels to break through and transfer. ”

"Yes. Commander, I'll leave immediately, we are waiting for you to break through and triumph in Shuihe Village. After speaking, the political commissar and Huang Zhongde walked down the ladder and left.

More and more Japanese troops attacked the village from all sides, and the battle became more and more fierce and brutal, and the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese army engaged in street fighting, close combat, and white-knuckle warfare. At the same time, the soldiers of two platoons of the reconnaissance company that had been transferred from the tunnel had gone around behind the Japanese positions to the west and south outside the village, and at the same time launched lightning-fast and fierce attacks on the Japanese artillery positions, tanks, and armored vehicles, and the enemy was taken by surprise, confused, terrified, and embarrassed. In a panic, Nakagawa Eiichi had to divide part of his forces to meet the battle in a hurry. The Japanese army suffered from the enemy on the back of the abdomen, and the offensive weakened. However, due to the disparity in strength and weapons, the Eighth Route Army failed to inflict a fatal blow on the Japanese army.

Due to the heroic and stubborn resistance of the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese army repelled two frantic attacks in a row, and the Japanese army still did not capture the village of Shengcang.

After dark, the moon stars are scarce. The Japanese army completely stopped the active attack, but surrounded the village of Morikura tightly, and the sentries fired cold shots at the village from time to time.

At this time, the large troops and wounded of the Eighth Route Army Supplementary Regiment in Shengcang Village were seizing the time to enter the tunnel and transfer to the outside of the village to break through, and Yu Genshan sent a small force to attack and harass the enemy from all sides, especially the feint breakthrough battle in the east of the village was the most intense. The cunning and treacherous Nakagawa Eiichi seemed to understand the true intentions of the Eighth Route Army, and strictly ordered the Japanese army to block the attack at any cost, hold the position but not counterattack, and sent two squadrons of infantry and several armored vehicles to the west of the village in Morikura Village to search for the rapid advance. The Japanese caught up with the slow-moving masses and wounded on the way to Shuihe Village in the bright moonlight, and there was a fierce night battle and melee with the covering troops of the Eighth Route Army, with casualties on both sides of the enemy. In the melee, the Japanese army captured more than 100 people, including some men and women, wounded, militiamen, and Kuomintang soldiers, including Wang Fujiang, secretary of the county party committee, and President Zhu Shiyao. The Eighth Route Army also captured dozens of Japanese soldiers, including a young officer who was a captain.

Late at night. On the outskirts of Morikura Village. Eiichi Nakagawa sat alone in the tent and wrote to his wife: Guilan, are you and the children okay? I miss you all so much. Today was another day of fierce fighting, and the casualties were very heavy and the Eighth Route Army was not completely wiped out. The Kuomintang army is easy to fight, but the Eighth Route Army is too difficult to fight, they only use backward and broken weapons, and they have no planes and tanks, why do they still resist so desperately? It will be difficult for the imperial army to win in this way, when will this war end? China is too big, China is too complicated, and it is completely beyond the original plan and imagination of the Great Japanese Empire. It has been almost six years since I came to China to fight, and I still have not found a way to occupy and conquer China, nor have I found a way to defeat the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army. But I am an Imperial soldier, I will fight until the last moment, and I will be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor! After dawn, I will continue to pursue and eliminate the Eighth Route Army and complete my sacred military mission......

Early in the morning, the sun rises. The courtyard of the Ding family in Shengcang Village. Uncle Lao Gen walked out of the west wing room and came to the yard with two bamboo cages, released seven or eight pigeons from the pigeon cages, and said to himself: "Go, go, go and come back." After watching the pigeons fly away, he walked into the stables of the west courtyard, picked up the broken bean cakes and forage and poured them into the horse trough, poured water and stirred them and fed them to the horses, and he patted and touched the six horses lovingly.

After a burst of artillery bombardment, Japanese tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry attacked and advanced together, and machine guns and rifles rang out. The Japanese troops entered the silent village of Morikura from four directions, southeast and northwest, and did not encounter any attack or resistance.

Nakagawa rode a tall Oriental war horse, surrounded by Japanese soldiers, and walked through the streets. He kept looking around, puzzled, and shouted to Qian Wanlin, who was walking next to him:

"Captain Qian, where is the Eighth Route Army?! Why isn't there a single person in the village?! ”

Qian Wanlin looked around, his face full of doubts, and said as he walked in fear:

"Ah, yes, why is there no one in the village? Report to Taijun that the cunning Eighth Route Army and militia must have gone into the tunnel and hidden. ”

Nakagawa grabbed the reins of his horse and ordered: "The troops are scattered, and they will search carefully from house to house, and they must find the tunnel!" "The Japanese troops scattered and searched from house to house.

Kawaya Shaosa, who was following Nakagawa, rode a horse and roared fiercely:

"Burn down the entire village!"

"Baga!" Nakagawa grabbed the reins, half-turned around and glared at the valley and reprimanded loudly, strictly ordered to stop:

"Hegu Shaozuo, take back your stupid order immediately! Setting fire to the houses in the whole village had no effect, and only aroused greater hatred and stronger resistance of the Chinese people against our imperial army. The house burned down, where do we camp? Stupidity! Confused! The troops were ordered to camp and rest, eat and rest. Reconnaissance detachments were immediately dispatched to reconnoiter and search in the south, north, and west directions. ”

"Hey! Execute it now. The valley replied.

Meantime. Ding's compound. In the courtyard of the middle courtyard, Ding Wenqian, who was wearing light cyan silk trousers and black dresses and cloth shoes with a thousand layers of soles, waved the long spike sword in his right hand and danced the Tai Chi sword slowly and elegantly. There was a noise and a heavy knock outside the front yard door, but he ignored it. Uncle Gen walked quickly to the front yard and opened the door. Zhongchuan, Qian Wanlin, Song Huaili and a group of vicious Japanese soldiers pushed Uncle Lao Gen into the middle courtyard, and surrounded Ding Wenqian and Uncle Lao Gen in the middle. Ding Wenqian continued to dance the sword calmly and calmly.

Qian Wanlin took a step forward, took off his top hat, bowed slightly, and said politely:

"Third master, why did your old man come here? Three old men ......"

Zhongchuan glared at Ding Wenqian angrily and asked, "Captain Qian, who is he?" ”

Qian Wanlin turned around and walked to Zhongchuan's side, bowed down and said humbly:

"Taijun, his name is Ding Wenqian, his family is a well-known rich businessman and big landowner in Lin'an County, and his business is very big, and his family is very rich. His eldest brother's name is Ding Wenlian, the president of the Lin'an County Chamber of Commerce, and he is a great friend of the Imperial Army, and he has always cooperated well with the Imperial Army. ”

Zhongchuan took out a list from his pocket to find the Ding family, he found the names of the entire Ding family on the list, nodded slightly, waved his left hand, and whispered: "Search." ”

Ding Wenqian gathered his momentum and stood still, adjusted his breathing, handed the sword to Uncle Lao Gen, looked at the menacing Japanese soldiers in the courtyard, calmed down, and asked in a calm but slightly majestic tone:

"Wan Lin, oh no, Captain Qian, what are you doing with so many people coming to my house? Now I don't have any money, nothing to entertain you. ”

"Third master, don't get me wrong, we are not here to find you, I am passing by here with the imperial army chasing the Eighth Route Army, and I happened to meet your old man, and I came to visit you by the way. This is Captain Eiichi Nakagawa in the Imperial Japanese Army. Qian Wanlin said.

A Japanese officer came over and reported: "Captain, we searched the entire village, but we didn't find a single person, we didn't find a tunnel, we only found a few caves where we were hiding. ”

Nakagawa, who looked gloomy, walked up to Ding Wenqian and asked in a calm tone:

"Mr. Ding, please tell me, where are the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army hiding? Where are the tunnels? You must know, you say it all. ”

Several Japanese soldiers came to the courtyard of the middle courtyard from the front and back yards with Ding Ruxuan and Changgui, who were red faces, blue and purple lips, coughing incessantly, irritable, sweaty, limp, and sleepy.

Morning. Outskirts. The soldiers of the Eighth Route Army, the militia, and the Kuomintang soldiers moved westward.

Standing on the high slope of the roadside, Yu Genshan held a telescope and looked out at Moricang Village.

Staff Officer Wu ran over out of breath: "Regiment Commander, are you looking for me?" What are the tasks? ”

Yu Genshan put down the telescope in his hand and whispered in Staff Officer Wu's ear:

"Staff Officer Wu, you take a platoon and immediately return to the Wanjiaquaner area, look for and collect the scattered troops and militia, and pay attention to concealment. If you see Francis......"

Staff Officer Wu: "Oh, okay. The head of the regiment, does the commissar know? Did he agree? ”

Yu Genshan handed over a letter to Staff Officer Wu, and then said sternly with a straight face:

"Don't ask so much, Staff Officer Wu, carry out the order!"

Morikura Village. Ding's compound. In the courtyard of the courtyard.

"Who are these two?!" Nakagawa asked.

Qian Wanlin couldn't help but be shocked when he saw Ding Ruxuan and Changgui, whose limbs were weak, their whole bodies were paralyzed, and their heads were drooling, and he whispered in Zhongchuan's ear:

"This person is Ding Ruxuan, his father is Ding Wenlian, this Ding Wenqian is his third uncle, this uncle and nephew are a pair of waste, Ding Wenqian likes to play with birds, Ding Ruxuan likes to vote for plays, and he also made a troupe to play. That person's name is Changgui, and he is a stinky coolie. ”

Qian Wanlin walked up to Ding Ruxuan, pretending to be concerned and sarcastically said:

"Young Master Ding, what's wrong with you? How did you make this bear? If you want to die or not live, where is your majesty of the eldest young master? ”

"Both of them were sick, probably from the Black Death." After speaking, Uncle Lao Gen raised his hand and touched Ding Ruxuan and Changgui's heads: "Ouch, it's so hot, I have a high fever, this is the Black Death." Uncle Gen immediately covered his mouth and took a few steps back.

"The Black Death? What kind of disease is this? Qian Wanlin asked puzzled.

Ding Wenqian: "The Black Death is the plague, the pneumonic plague, which is very contagious. ”

"Huh?!" Frightened, Qian Wanlin hurriedly covered his mouth and took a few steps backwards to dodge.

Nakagawa said sharply: "Carry it away, carry it away immediately!" Mr. Ding, you say, say it quickly! ”

Several Japanese soldiers covered their mouths and noses and dragged Ding Ruxuan and Changgui out of the middle courtyard.

Ding Wenqian looked at Zhongchuan calmly, neither humble nor arrogant, and replied unhurriedly:

"Haven't you searched the whole village? You can't find the Communist Party, the Eighth Route Army, and the tunnels, so how can I know? ”

"Do you have an authentic house?! Why don't you go?! Nakagawa asked again.

"If there was a tunnel in my house, we would have run away a long time ago, why are we still staying here? I wanted to run, but I couldn't, so why should we go? My house and my land are here. Ding Wenqian replied without humility or arrogance.

"How did the Eighth Route Army get out of here? You must have seen where they got into the tunnels and escaped! Nakagawa then asked.

"Well, even if you're right, the Eighth Route Army may have run from the tunnel. I don't see them burrowing into the tunnels anywhere, though. You fought so hard with the Eighth Route Army, and you almost scared me to death when you shot and fired, I didn't even dare to go out of the courtyard, how could I see it. Ding Wenqian said fearfully.

A Japanese soldier came over and reported: "Report to the captain, the entire courtyard has been searched, but no tunnel has been found." ”

Zhongchuan was so angry that he gasped and glared at Ding Wenqian helplessly.

A Japanese officer walked up to Nakagawa and whispered something in Nakagawa's ear in Japanese. After Nakagawa heard this, his face showed a sly smile. He said to Ding Wenqian:

"Mr. Ding, I am fortunate to meet today, since the Ding family is a friend of the Japanese Imperial Army, we have the responsibility to protect you, for your safety, go back to the county with us now."

Ding Wenqian smiled and said, "Okay, I just want to go back to the county seat, and I feel much more at ease with your protection." Lao Gen, hurry up and pack your things and go to the car. ”