Chapter Twenty-Three: The Final Choice of the Communist Army and the National Army

Afternoon. In the woods of the cemetery of Wanjiaquan. Fang Lusheng, Zhou Qiwei and more than a dozen other people gathered around Fang Jiren. After looking around at everyone, Francis said solemnly:

"Alright. I've said everything that needs to be said, now let's break up, go our separate ways, go wherever we want, and find our own way out. After saying that, he stood up, picked up the big knife and was about to leave.

Zhou Qiwei and Fang Lusheng stood up at the same time to stop Fang Jiren. Zhou Qiwei said sincerely:

"Company Commander Fang, don't go, you can't go, you can't leave us alone. So what do you say, what will you do in the future? I and my brethren listen to you. ”

"Yes, yes, we listen to you. But what happens next? Fang Lusheng said.

Fang Jiren looked at Zhou Qiwei, who had a sincere attitude, and then looked at everyone and said:

"Sit down, sit down, everybody. You all listen to me, if you want to wait for me to finish speaking, you can decide, whatever you want, it doesn't matter. Needless to say, as you all know, we are in a very difficult and dangerous situation right now, and we can't stay here all the time, we have to get out of here as soon as possible. It would be troublesome to go separately and encounter devils, which is definitely not possible, then we can only join forces and act together. Now our common enemy is the Japanese devils, and our common goal is to kill the devils. Everyone is Chinese, we can no longer fight each other, we should unite together to fight devils. If you want to, listen to me, follow me, and if you don't want to, I won't force you, now we'll disperse, go our separate ways, whether you live or die, no one cares about anyone, you all think about it, hurry up and decide. ”

Zhou Qiwei thought for a while and said, "Company Commander Fang, I and a dozen of my brothers have no way out, and we are willing to follow you." But, but I am a soldier of the party-state, how can I betray and leave the party-state and betray the leader? This is a shame for the soldiers of the party-state. ”

Francis retorted: "How did you betray? Who have you betrayed? The Eighth Route Army now belongs to the battle sequence of the National Army, and it is the number given by Chairman Jiang of your Committee, are you confused? We are now fighting together to resist Japan, are you letting the little devils beat you stupidly? ”

Zhou Qiwei couldn't say anything anymore when he heard Fang Jiren say this.

Fang Lusheng scratched his head, looked at his brothers and said reluctantly:

"Uncle, I'm willing to follow you, I know you have the ability, you are a person who can do great things, but I'm really a little reluctant to let my Feiyun Village go."

Fang Jiren sneered: "Okay, then don't do it with me, I can't spoil your good deeds, hurry back to Feiyun Village and be your mountain king, drill ravines, live in caves, lack of food and clothing, be frightened, and go to live like a savage, and then take your sister to the cave." Hum! I think you really have no chance to get home, you don't leave a way back for yourself, and you have to think about the future of your dozens of brothers, can you bear to let them follow you in the barren mountains, bald mountains, damp and dark caves for the rest of your life? Are you still human? I really don't know which ancestor of our Fang family left you such a bad seed as a sinifer. Get lost! Get out of here, get out of here! ”

Fang Lusheng's face flushed with shame, and he stood up and shouted loudly:

"Hey! How do you speak? You're calling me worthless, stinking shit. For the sake of you being an elder, I let you not worry about you, so don't kick your nose in the face? changed to someone else, and Lao Tzu killed him immediately! ”

Fang Jiren glanced up at Fang Lusheng and said contemptuously and sarcastically:

"Oh, hey, look at your majesty, have I wronged you? Am I wrong about you? If you don't want to listen, get out. ”

Zhou Qiwei hurriedly played a round: "Okay, okay, don't talk about the two of you." Actually, Master Long is also a man, how brave he is when he fights devils. Company Commander Fang, let's not mention the past again, let's just talk about what to do now, right? Let me make a suggestion, do you think it's okay? None of us should embarrass anyone, force anyone, stay if you are willing to stay, leave those who are not willing to leave, leave the weapon and leave now, everyone should think about it and decide quickly, and make your own decisions about your future and destiny. ”

The soldiers of the national army walked to the side and sat together, chattering and talking.

Company Commander Yao Jian asked puzzledly: "Battalion commander, do we really want to stay and join the communist army?" We're a real national army. ”

Zhou Qiwei said helplessly: "If we don't stay, do we have anywhere else?" You have all heard what Company Commander Fang said just now, and now, we really have no way out. ”

The platoon commander of the first second lieutenant said: "Battalion commander, even if the company commander of the Eighth Route Army is reasonable, but he is alone, why should we listen to him?" What are you going to do with him? ”

Soldier A: "Yes, the platoon commander is right. Battalion commander, we can stay and fight devils, we are a national army and a regular army, and the company commander should obey your command. You are the battalion commander, he is just a company commander, what is the company commander of the Eighth Route Army? ”

Soldier B: "That's right, battalion commander." We are the national army, we are the regular army, the Eighth Route Army should be subordinated to the national army, how can we stay here and fool around with the Eighth Route Army? You see that their Eighth Route Army is so poor that they don't eat or drink, they are all wearing tattered clothes, and the guys in their hands are all broken guns and knives. I've heard that the Eighth Route Army never pays military salaries. Battalion commander, many of our brothers have to rely on military salaries to support their families. ”

Zhou Qiwei: "Yes, I also know what you said. I want to ask the company commander Fang about the military salary, and there must be an explanation for playing with life under the muzzle of a knife. ”

Squad leader: "Battalion commander, you are the battalion commander, the one surnamed Fang is a company commander, or the Eighth Route Army, you will listen to his command in the future?" What a shame. ”

Zhou Qiwei: "Alas, what kind of face do we care about in our current situation?" You don't know, a few years ago, when the Battle of Taierzhuang was fought, Company Commander Fang was a major of our national army, a reconnaissance staff officer of the regimental headquarters, and I carried out reconnaissance missions with him, and I did a very good job, but at that time I was only a second lieutenant platoon commander, and I was a few levels worse than him. Besides, people have saved us, if I follow Company Commander Fang in the future, I don't feel shameless. ”

Soldier C: "Battalion commander, hasn't our national army always been at odds with their Communist Eighth Route Army?" Before the Eighth Route Army changed its name, Chairman Chiang also sent troops to encircle and suppress the Red Army for many years. What's wrong? Now the charter has been changed? Don't you want to do it? ”

Zhou Qiwei: "Yes, the constitution was changed after the Xi'an Mutiny. It is a class contradiction between our Kuomintang and the Communist Party, but we in China and the little devils are national contradictions, and these are completely different things, and the national contradictions are greater than the class contradictions. So now the Kuomintang and the Communist Party are united and jointly resist Japan. Besides, we are all from the Northeast, and the three eastern provinces have been occupied by little devils, who of you didn't let the devils kill you? Yes? Don't you want to fight against Japan and kill little devils? Don't want to avenge your dead family? ”

The soldiers of the national army were indignant and talked about killing devils to take revenge.

Zhou Qiwei explained: "Brothers, brothers, listen to me first, although Company Commander Fang is alone, he represents the Eighth Route Army. We can completely disobey him, don't follow him, you all listen to me, right? But I really don't know where to take you? Now we are really desperate, we have no food or drink, we can't walk an inch, and we are not familiar with life. Besides, with the little guy we have now, we have to be finished when we meet a devil. He's the company commander, I'm the battalion commander, that's right, but what's the use? Company Commander Fang is not a simple person, you have all seen his skills. On the day of the encounter between our battalion and the devils, it was Company Commander Fang who brought the Eighth Route Army to rescue us, and you have all seen the combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army, and we are not qualified to look down on others. Moreover, I saw it with my own eyes, Company Commander Fang slashed and killed dozens of devils with a big knife, which is really brave. There are more than 400 people in our battalion, one is counted as one, who can compare to the company commander of the other party? Which of you can do it? Huh?"

"Yes, I saw it." "I saw it too." Several soldiers chimed in.

Zhou Qiwei continued: "Company Commander Fang is a local, he knows him well, it will definitely not hurt us to follow him, he can take us to transfer in concealment, rest and recuperate, avoid the encirclement and suppression of devils, and find the brothers who have been scattered." How good is the relationship between the Eighth Route Army and the people here, and how benevolent and righteous it is to us, why don't you stay? ”

Yao Jian: "Yes, the battalion commander has a point, we should stay." ”

Platoon commander: "Battalion commander, listen to you, we will stay and fight devils." ”

Soldier C: "Also, yes, battalion commander, we all understand what you said, it's not impossible for us to stay and follow the company commander of the Eighth Route Army and the battalion commander to fight devils, but we can't mess with those bandits, it's a joke to say it." ”

Zhou Qiwei: "Yes, it was true that they were bandits before, weren't they forced by the government?" But now they are not ambiguous when they fight devils, and they are all brave and desperate. Besides, like us, they are all from poor families, how to say that they are all brothers of the same species, and they all have a family feud and national hatred with the devil. I think that with the restraint of the company commander, they will not do anything out of the ordinary to us. ”

Some of the soldiers are still divided and arguing.

"Okay, okay, don't make any noise, I know your thoughts and plans. Brothers, if not, let's follow Company Commander Fang for the time being, and when all the injuries are healed and completely out of danger, we will find a chance to leave. ”

The soldiers unanimously agreed, and began to discuss what would happen in the future.

While the soldiers of the national army were talking endlessly, the brothers of Feiyun Village were also sitting together twenty or thirty meters away and arguing with red faces.

Bandit A: "Master Long, we can't follow the eight roads." ”

Fang Lusheng: "Fuck off!" You're fucking ungrateful! If it weren't for the timely support of my uncle and the Eighth Route Army, we would all have to go to see Lord Yama that night. ”

Bandit B: "Master Long, aren't we going back to Feiyun Village to fight devils?" ”

Fang Lusheng: "Fuck you!" Nonsense, you? It's up to you? Just rely on the people of Feiyun Village? Can you do it better than the little devils? As soon as the devil's artillery and tanks bombarded, you all went back to your hometown. Besides, we have already fought with the little devils, and the little devils will definitely not let go of Feiyun Village in the future, and will definitely come to take revenge on us. Can you do it without relying on the Eighth Route Army and my uncle? Don't fucking pick it up and say, pig brains, you? ”

Bandit C: "Master Long, I think it's good to follow your uncle, and I won't suffer." ”

Fang Lusheng: "What do you guys think?" If you have something to say, you can say it quickly, and if you have a fart, let it go. ”

Bandit Ding: "Master Long, you won't really join the Eighth Route Army with your brothers, right?" The Eighth Route Army is good, but it is too poor. Where is it like us, there is no money, no wine and no meat, and you can go down the mountain and go out to do everything, how refreshing it is. ”

Fang Lusheng: "Look at your beating nature!" What the fuck can you do, can you still do it until you are seventy or eighty? My uncle is right, we have to think about the future and the future of our lives, and we have to think about our wives and children. ”

"Master Long, what you said is right, I will listen to you. But I still want to go back to Feiyun Village, where is my wife? ”

"I also want to go back, how nourishing I live in Feiyun Village, and there are good women. Master Long, I heard that the Eighth Route Army is very strict, and I can't stand it. ”

"Master Long, where are you not fighting devils? Why do you have to follow the Eighth Route Army? ”

"It's not right for you to say that, it's better to join the Eighth Route Army."

The people of Feiyun Village began to argue again.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up for me! Some of you are thinking about your wives and women, and some of you are thinking about money, and that's right, and I want to too. But not now, now we have to save our lives first. Listen to me, follow my uncle for a while, and then it's not too late to let us go away when we recover. ”

The crowd was silent, each thinking about their own thoughts.

At this time, the tired Fang Jiren was lying on his back under a big tree thirty meters away, with a big knife on his head and a short sword in his hand. Although the man was asleep, he still seemed to be ready to get up and attack at any time.

Zhou Qiwei led the soldiers of the national army over and sat down around Fang Jiren.

Zhou Qiwei looked at Fang Jiren, who was sleeping soundly, and said with emotion in his heart:

"Look at it, look at it, this is called a man's temperament and true heroic nature! Although he is in danger now, life and death are at stake, Company Commander Fang is not afraid of danger, as steady as Mount Tai, and sleeps soundly. Will you be able to sleep if you do it? Do you have this kind of audacity? Yes? The soldiers of the national army looked at Fang Jiren who was lying on the ground sleeping with admiration

Fang Lusheng also walked over with the brothers of Feiyun Village.

Fang Lusheng looked at the sleeping Fang Jiren and said puzzledly, "Hey, when is this?" I can still sleep. Uncle, hurry up, the devil is coming. ”

One of the bandits sighed and said, "What a man! I can't sleep without it. ”

Fang Jiren sat up, looked at the people gathered around him, and said sleepily:

"What's the noise? If you want to sleep for a while, you won't let me sleep soundly. It's gone, it's all gone, and it's time for me to go. ”

Zhou Qiwei and Fang Lusheng said together: "Don't go, don't go." ”

Fang Jiren: "Why don't you leave?" I don't want to deal with you anymore, it's really a waste of time to be with you two brainless, unreasonable, ignorant and cowardly. ”

Zhou Qiwei: "Company Commander Fang, aren't we here to discuss things with you?" ”

Fang Jiren said impatiently: "Say, tell me, what do you want?" ”

Zhou Qiwei said loudly: "Brothers, what's the matter? Do you want to stay or go? If you've thought about it, let's decide. ”

After a moment of silence, everyone whispered to each other, but no one wanted to leave.

Zhou Qiwei raised his wrist and looked at his watch and said, "It's been more than ten minutes, is it true that no one wants to leave and stay?" Don't push yourself, it's completely voluntary. ”

Fang Lu said angrily, "None of my brothers and I will leave. ”

"Don't go. I stay. I'm not going either. The crowd expressed their wishes.

"Company Commander Fang, you see, no one wants to leave, they have to stay and follow you. You can speak up on what we should do next, and we will all listen to you. Zhou Qiwei said.

Fang Lusheng: "Ah yes, I listen to you." Uncle, just speak. ”

Fang Jiren stood up and tidied up his clothes, patted the dust on his body, and said sincerely:

"Sit down, sit down. Well, thank you brothers for their trust in us, from now on we must be together and we must drive the Japanese devils out of China. However, there are some things that I have to say beforehand, and some people may think in their hearts, why should we do it with you? Why should I listen to you? Even if I do it with you now, it's temporary. If someone thinks so, it's not wrong, I can understand and accept it, I can leave immediately, if I don't want to go now, it's okay to leave after a while, and I will not force myself to stay free. What do you think? ”

Fang Lusheng: "Ahem, isn't it just fighting devils?" I used to fight the little devils many times with my brothers. Uncle, it's useless to talk so much. ”

Fang Jiren glared at Fang Lusheng angrily, and said in a stern tone:

"What's useless? What's useful? If you don't want to hear me, get out of here! ”

Fang Lusheng: "Hey, don't worry. I mean, none of our brothers in Feiyun Village have followed us before, so we don't kill devils like this. ”

Francis: "I know. However, your fight against devils is not the same as our Eighth Route Army's fight against devils. ”

Fang Lusheng: "Huh? What's the difference? ”

Francis: "Of course it's different. Although you also fight devils, you are only doing it for your own safety and interests. Our Eighth Route Army fights devils for the sake of the country, the nation and the common people, and it is even more out of lofty beliefs. ”

Fang Lusheng: "Faith? What is Faith? What are the beliefs of the Eighth Route Army? ”

Fang Jiren: "Let me tell you briefly, the belief of the Eighth Route Army is to eliminate the Japanese devils and all exploiting classes, so that all the poor people in the world can live a good life. ”

Fang Lusheng: "This is good, I will also have this faith in the future." ”

Francis: "Huh? Just you? It's not something you can say you can have. Okay, let's not talk about faith, what's the matter? Hurry up and decide. ”

Everyone watched as Francis was silent.

Fang Jiren: "Since everyone doesn't speak, they are willing to do it with me." Okay, now we'll count the number of people, check the weapons and ammunition, and sneak into Lin'an Town after dark......"

"Yes, first knock down Lin Anzhen, blow up the turret, and pull out this nail. I heard that there is only one squad of devils and a squadron of puppet soldiers in the town, it should not be difficult to fight, and we will have a place to stay, so we will not have to worry about food and drink in the future. Fang Lusheng hurriedly said.

Francis retorted: "Oh, look how easy and simple you say, just with us now? Is a squad of devils and a squadron of puppet soldiers so easy to fight? We're not going to attack Lin An Town, there's something more important to do. ”

"What's important? Let's talk about it. Everyone asked.