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At 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 22nd of the month, the early autumn sun was lazily hanging high in the sky, and under the blazing sun of the fairy sun, a 300-ton cargo ship flying the German flag slowly docked at the Longwangtai wharf, 12 kilometers south of Yidu County, Hubei. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Two men in suits and leather shoes were the first to walk down the gangway, and several men in gray revolutionary army generals' uniforms on the dock strode forward, shaking hands with each other tightly and greeting each other cordially.

"Brother Ding, Xianwei, how is Shizuo's health now? You don't know, when I received the telegram from Nanchang and learned that Shi Zu was assassinated and unconscious during his speech in Beiping, I immediately felt that the sky was about to fall, and I cried on the spot, and I was like a walking dead for many days after that! Later, I learned that the master only recovered when he woke up, and most of the brothers in the army were like me, which was really unbearable! ”

Major General Na Bin, who had been promoted to deputy commander of the 44th Army and commander of the instructor, held Ding Zhicheng's hand and asked eagerly, and the brothers behind him also looked at Ding Zhicheng and Wu Xianwei.

Ding Zhicheng was very moved, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Shizuo recovers quickly, brother, I went to the hospital before I left, he can already hang the cane presented by Songjian Daoist and walk a few steps in the courtyard, Shizuo's beautiful daughter-in-law Ou Chuer also made a special trip back from the United States, and I am tired of being with Shizuo every day, our brothers are embarrassed to bother, haha, this is Shizuo's handwritten letter to you, Wu Xianwei, the deputy captain of the former Independent Division Teaching Brigade and the current head of the Nanchang Non-commissioned Officer Scraping Training Base Teaching Regiment, glanced around, whispered a joke with Major General Zhang Cunzhuang, the commander of the first division behind Na Bin, and a group of old brothers:

"Brother Zhang, brothers, I haven't seen you for a few days, and your military ranks are almost higher than those of your junior brother! 6 Ping, you kid actually became a colonel like me? It's amazing, it seems that the boss is right, the more difficult the place, the more you can train people, it seems that next time I will have to take the initiative to apply to move."

"Where? In the future, Brother Wu can't say such things anymore, what's the use of having a higher rank? Without your help, we wouldn't have existed! I still remember the situation when I went to Lao Nanchang to ask for help, when our 44th Army had reached a dangerous situation where it was difficult to survive, and only more than 8,000 people of more than 20,000 people fled into this area, and they had fallen into a situation of exhaustion.

General Ding, according to the regulations, the three commanders in the army cannot go outside the jurisdiction at the same time, so my eldest brother can only guard the Chinese army, please forgive me for the loss! At this moment, he was already looking forward to the Guantao Pavilion of Cili Qingshan Temple. ”

Zhang Cunzhuang said that, gave Wu Xianwei and Ding Zhicheng a powerful hug, and then ordered the brothers of the regiment under his command to unload a boatload of weapons and equipment as soon as possible and transport them away with a horse team.

Ding Zhicheng turned to Na Bin, who had put away the envelope and carefully put it in his jacket pocket: "Shizuo is sincerely pleased with your work achievements over the past year, and has won the official title of the Central Committee for the 44th Army, which is facing dismantling.

Little brother understands! Over the past year, we have carried out our work in full accordance with the three principles laid down by the division, and we have been obscure and concealed in our strength, and the outside world has thought that we are still an incomplete contingent of several thousand people, but secretly we have continuously strengthened the regularization of the troops, and while strictly training and enhancing political education, we have also maintained close ties with the people and harmonious relations between the military and the people. Now we have done a good job in both aspects, that is, the exhibition economy has not yet made a reputation, but after a year of hard work, there has been a great improvement, and next year it will be the harvest season.

Zhang Hongza's predecessors trust the younger brother and his brothers very much, not only promote and use them one by one to entrust them with important tasks, but also enthusiastically for the brothers Zhang Luo's marriage, matchmaking, so that the brothers can rest assured in this Xiangxi region to train and lead the troops, which now has the scale of 26,000 soldiers in three divisions, and built a more formal training base and shifts, our old Nanchang base has continued to provide weapons and ammunition, various materials and full military salaries in this year, so that our 44th Army has become the richest army on the border of Hunan and Guizhou, and the brothers in the whole army are grateful! Deng Bin said excitedly.

Ding Zhicheng nodded with satisfaction: "Don't talk about the family, you have done a good job, the master has been chattering several times, if it weren't for his body not allowing, this time he wanted to come in person This place is the territory of Tao Jun of the Eighteenth Army of the Gui Department, is it safe?" ”

Deng Ji laughed: "No problem, the garrison regiment in Yidu City has already been bought by us, and there are also local garrison regiments in Shimen, Huangxian, Taoyuan and other places, all of which are living in harmony with us and sharing wealth at the moment." At the beginning of the year, they were not interested, and we fought a few battles, but as a result, they lost their troops, and they were worried that we would take the opportunity to encroach on their territory, so they had to quietly send people to make peace, and finally we agreed that the two sides would not invade each other, and we would collect transit taxes on their opium and small medicinal herbs, and they would also facilitate the transportation of our materials. The head of the Taoyuan Garrison Regiment under the nose of Changde of the 14th Army of the Gui Department is the nephew of the predecessor of Zhang Hongza in the military seat, who graduated from the eighth phase of Baoding, and has long wanted to join our army. First, our eastern trade routes have been opened. ”

"Remarkable! It's no wonder that the master is very relieved every time he mentions you, saying that your kid has grown faster than most of the brothers, and is a down-to-earth general, and that after he recovers from his injury and returns to the Central Military Academy to teach, he will find a way to let you and several other brothers enter the second special class for further study. Ding Zhicheng said with satisfaction.

Na Bin sighed with emotion: "The boss has thought of everything for our brothers, and the younger brother is really afraid of disappointing the boss's expectations!" This year's work has really made my little brother feel the importance of reading! When the book is used, I hate it less, and there are not a few drops of ink in my stomach, which is very uncomfortable! ”

Ding Zhicheng smiled knowingly, and said with deep feelings: "Brother, I also walked to the position of deputy division commander, so I regret not being at the beginning, who the hell had the mind to read before?" I have always felt that people who read books are pedantic, and we march and fight are two different concepts, but now I understand how ridiculous my ideas are!

Let's go, let's go over and take a look, the 100 students sent back this time are estimated to be able to help you a lot, 12 radio classes graduated, and more than 50 came from Xianwei's base teaching group. I have participated in the battle to encircle the instructors of the Sixth Army, and there are also those who graduated from the health team, logistics quartermaster class, ordnance repair class, and six people from the special class, and I personally took them for half a year, and their performance is very good, and their skills are also solid, let's go and see them!

After unloading, we rushed to meet Zhang Hongza's seniors, I brought a secret letter and a series of plans from the master to him, and I had to rush back as soon as possible after explaining, many things were still waiting for me in old Nanchang.

By the way, have you informed Brother Shi Zhen in Northwest Guizhou? ”

"Noticed, it is estimated that now Brother Shi has arrived in Cili, he knows that the master seat has sent someone, and he is so excited that he can't do it, so he will come regardless of leaving everything.

After Na Bin finished speaking, he walked with Ding Zhicheng to Zhang Cunzhuang, who had a warm conversation, and the hundred brothers who returned from Pei.

At five o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, Cili Lingyang Town, the headquarters of the First Division of the 44th Army.

Located at the intersection of Chengshui and habitual water, Cili Lingyang Town, surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery, the mountains and rivers are cool and pleasant, the ancient town is located at the eastern edge of the Wuling Mountains, in the middle reaches of freshwater, in the northeast and Shimen County, in the southeast and Taoyuan County, in the northwest and Sangzhi County, in the southwest and Yongding, it is a catty, "seven mountains and half water and half fields, a point of roads and manors" of the old county in the mountainous area, Zhang Hongza and Nabin can occupy this strategic place in a year, it is indeed not easy.

In front of the tall and majestic Guantao Pavilion is an open field, five towering and huge ancient camphor trees are shaped like a canopy, covering the scorching autumn sun, and the 44th Army Lieutenant General Zhang Hongza, who has a ruddy face, Shi Xuan, who maintains the demeanor of a professional soldier, and Shi Zhen, the commander of the Northwest Guizhou Garrison Division with a black face and a strong body, accompanied Ding Zhicheng and Wu Xianwei, who came from afar, to walk in the shade of the trees, inspecting batches of guns and ammunition, new-style winter clothes and military shoes, four disassembled and unassembled gun repair machine tools, medicines, blankets and other materials piled up on the ground. Zhang Hongza took the items handed over by the quartermaster under his command from time to time, looked at them carefully, sighed, and kept thanking An Yi and the old Nanchang brothers for their thoughtfulness.

Shi Zhen, who was wearing the gray colonel's uniform of the revolutionary army, stopped in front of the table where the four new-style radio stations were placed, and heard Ding Zhicheng say that the 100-watt radio station on the left belonged to him specially advised by An Yi, and excitedly stepped forward and stroked it carefully:

"Great! That's great! With this thing, you can contact Brother Zhang and Brother An anytime and anywhere, according to the current progress, within half a year, our two armies will be able to use this radio station to coordinate with each other, but unfortunately there are only two and a half buckets of radio soldiers under the command of the younger brother! ”

Zhang Hongza laughed heartily, patted Shi Zhen on the shoulder and said: "Brother Shi, you don't have to worry, half of this batch of materials is specified for you, these two fifteen-watt small radio stations will also be allocated to your department, the radio soldiers are not enough foolish brothers, you can send you five first, after the old brother goes back, pick out a group of talented young people to come over, and learn from the tutor of the virtuous nephew for three or five months?" ”

"This, so many weapons, ammunition and supplies, even half of them were given to the younger brother?" Shi Zhen pointed to the materials piled up around him, looking at this and that in surprise.

Ding Zhicheng took a step forward and said with a polite smile: "Brother Shi, our division has always wanted to use more equipment and ammunition to fund Brother Shi's troops to grow stronger, not just to give a monthly salary of 50,000 yuan to support, but since March, even Senior Zhang's 44th Army has been difficult to contact Brother Shi, and we don't know Brother Shi's situation."

In July, after we received a telegram from Senior Zhang, we learned that Brother Shi and Brother Mo had a disagreement, and as a result, Brother Mo's army was wiped out. He said that if Brother Mo was not so anxious to succeed and rush to establish the new first army of Qianxi with a loud name but flashy name, he would not have aroused the envy of all parties, and in the end, not only did he let more than 3,000 brothers die in Bijie City in vain, but he himself was unfortunately killed due to the betrayal of his subordinates, and half of the 10,000-strong army that had just grown up was lost in a blink of an eye.

If it weren't for Brother Shi's decisive decision to retreat into the "mountains of the border, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Shi Zhen shook his head frequently in pain: "Alas, Lao Mo went crazy at that time, and what is even worse is that the seven most capable battalion commanders and deputy battalion commanders are willing to follow him to attack Bijie, brother, I said all the good things before I reluctantly left more than 3,000 brothers to garrison Qingchi, and in the end, I was attacked from both sides by Lei Shiguang's division who suddenly returned to the hometown of Li Chao's 43rd Army, and had to retreat to Longshan Qiyan in Gulin County, Sichuan. Fortunately, "the melee between the troops was endless, and there was no time to pay attention to our department, so that they were able to settle down and recuperate. , the old department was dispersed, and only then did it re-accumulate 5,000 men and horses, this sad thing is unbearable! ”

Ding Zhicheng smiled slightly: "The past is gone, cherish the present!" Before leaving, the division said to the younger brother that if Brother Shi felt unsure, he could lead his troops to join the 44th Army of Zhang's predecessors, and after the beginning of spring next year, Zhang's 44th Army will be renamed the Xiangxi Garrison Command, which is a military-level unit with three garrison divisions under its jurisdiction, and can decide to form security forces in various counties in Xiangxi. This decision was approved by Commander-in-Chief Chiang, and the letter of appointment was to be issued by the Central Military Commission, not under the jurisdiction of the Hunan Provincial and Wuhan Political Sub-Committees. ”

Shi Zhen was taken aback, took the envelope and walked to the side and hurriedly opened it, looked at it three times in a row, walked to the big camphor tree in front of him with a heavy heart, and circled around the big camphor tree that the three of them couldn't hold, and then put away the letter, strode to Zhicheng and Zhang Hongza and others, and said in a deep voice with a firm tone:

"Life in the world, autumn of grass and trees, I Shi Zhen made a vow today: from now on, I will be in close contact with Zhang Hongza's eldest brother, live and die together, in order to revive the military prestige of my Bijie children, and shame on my righteous brother Mo Ronggao and three thousand children, Shi Zhen will have no hesitation and die for this!

Brother Ding, please go back and tell General An, he is the benefactor of my Qianxi soldiers, and Shi and his generals will follow him for life, and he will die! ”

"Good! Brother Shi is so bold! I didn't look at the wrong person,"

Zhang Hongza stepped forward and patted Shi Zhen lightly on the shoulder: "Brother Fool will do his best to support Brother Shi to make great achievements, and he wants soldiers to give soldiers guns to guns, and the military training base in Jinji City, Qiancheng will also have a share of Brother Shi from now on, and this time, the two thousand rifles, one hundred Czech light machine guns, three hundred boxes of grenades and four hundred thousand bullets sent by Brother Ding were all given to Brother Shi, haha!" ”

Shi Zhen's eyes were moist, and she held Zhang Hongza's hand tightly: "Thank you, big brother!" Thank you! ”

Ding Zhicheng took a gift slip from Wu Xianwei's hand and handed it to Shi Zhen: "Brother Shi, our division has a saying, if Brother Shi is determined to stay in Huoxi and northwest Guizhou to break out of the world, your military salary will be given according to the scale of 11,000 soldiers in the regular division for the time being."

Due to the remote location of Brother Shi and the difficulty of cashing the check, the younger brother discussed with Senior Zhang and reported to the division for approval, and unanimously decided that the military salary of Brother Shi's department would be temporarily released by the 44th Army, and it would be okay to ask for cash and materials, and we would regularly transport weapons, ammunition and military supplies to supplement the consumption of Brother Shi's department. After Brother Shi's department grows and gains a firm foothold, our division will definitely strive for Brother Shi's official number and corresponding appointment in the central government. ”

Shi Zhen freed his right hand and grabbed Ding Zhicheng's hand tightly, the tiger eyes were tearful and speechless for a while, Zhang Chengzhu smiled slightly, and said in a low voice:

"Brother Shi must not be grateful, if you want to get a full military salary from Brother Yu, you must exchange one thing for it."

"Big brother, please just speak! What liters? Shi Zhen asked loudly while stabilizing her emotions.

"Opium!" Zhang Hongza said solemnly.

Shi Zhen raised his head and laughed, waving his hands weakly: "Haha, my little brother thought it was some kind of strange thing, but it turned out to be this thing!" Qianxi and northwest Guizhou are everywhere, if you can't do it, Lao Tzu will lead troops to rob it, and ensure that it is not less than 100 quintals per month, what does the eldest brother think? ”

"Haha! Deal! ”

Zhang Hongza grabbed Shi Zhen's arm: "Let's go, go upstairs and drink!" Brother Fool tells you, this opium is to be sent to my brother's Qiancheng Pharmaceutical Factory to be refined into powder, and then sent to An Xian's nephew's Jiangnan Pharmaceutical Factory along with rare Chinese herbs such as eucommia, Ganoderma lucidum, ginkgo biloba and other rare Chinese herbs from Xiangxi, to make analgesic Demerol or other special drugs. ”

Shi Zhen opened her mouth wide and asked in great surprise, "When did Big Brother have a pharmaceutical factory?"

It's only been a long time, I didn't expect the exhibition to be so fast, "yet, now the plant is being built, equipment and personnel will slowly come, in the future, we will not only have a pharmaceutical factory, but also an arsenal, a smelter, an oil mill, a food factory, you have seen the four machine tools, in the future, all kinds of equipment will be sent in batches, my brother's Qianxi has copper mines, silver mines, iron mines and coal mines, which have been mining for many years, as long as we occupy that place, it will be difficult for my brother not to grow, haha!

These are all told by An Xian's nephew to the foolish brother, it seems that he has great expectations for his brother, and it is very simple to do a good job of the elder brother to be the head of the Qianxi Commissioner's army, and someone wants a gun and a gun, and An Xian's nephew is fully supported by the central government, who would dare to touch the elder brother Huwei? Zhang Hongza smiled even more happily.

Wu Xianwei, who followed behind Zhang Hongza and Shi Zhen, asked Ding Zhicheng in a low voice: "Brother Ding, how many catties is a load here?" ”

Zhang Cunzhuang on the side replied with a smile: "There are slight differences in various places, a load in Xiangxi is one hundred and ten, and it is said that it is about one hundred catties in Qianxi, but opium is different, a load of opium tobacco paste is about eighty-three catties, and the height is not more than eighty-five and the lower is not less than eighty catties. ”

Wu Xianwei was taken aback: "What Brother Shi promised was eight thousand catties of cigarette ointment!" Obediently, I heard that Yungui "is rich in opium, and this time it is an eye-opener"