Kangding has a nickname called the arrow furnace, and today's officials say Kangding, but the people seem to prefer the name "arrow furnace".

The whole Sichuan and Kang-Tibet region is still circulating such a story: when Zhuge Wuhou went west, he sent the general Guo Da to build a city here to open a furnace, cast arrows for conquest, and finally put down the rebellion, the people lived a good life, and the arrow furnace has since become a transportation hub and military town in Sichuan and Tibet.

Therefore, "Arrow Furnace" is no longer just a place name, but also carries the tradition and pride of the whole nation, and contains people's memory and reverence for their ancestors.

After more than two years of arduous efforts by thousands of officers and soldiers and 20,000 immigrants, Kangding City has completely changed, not to mention the doubling of the urban area, and the roads outside the city are wide and smooth.

Originally, the 200-kilometer narrow road from Kangding to Ya'an could only go to the horse gang, and the caravans that shuttled back and forth all the year round usually took 25 days, but now the narrow road has become a six-meter wide road that can easily parallel four carriages, and it only takes five days from Kangding to Ya'an, and if you can catch those precious cars of the border army, it only takes one day and one night to arrive, and it is extremely smooth and comfortable.

On the afternoon of the first day of late June, a convoy of 10 large and small cars appeared in the south of Kangding, and the 3,000 officers and soldiers and more than 10,000 people who had been waiting in the square in the south of the city were looking forward to it, and dozens of lamas wearing bright robes stood humbly and solemnly behind more than a dozen Sichuan army generals.

Zhong Ying, the new commander of the Fourth Army, stood at the front of the welcoming procession, and beside him was Zhou Daogang, the deputy commander and instructor who also changed into a general's uniform.

The army commander Zhong Ying deliberately shaved his face smooth and translucent, leaving only his beloved Frederick-style beard, and when he saw the convoy led by the cavalry slowly stopping in front, he grinned, pulled Zhou Daogang and strode up to meet him, both of them stood side by side five meters away from the car, raised their hands and saluted:

"Report to the commander-in-chief, Zhong Ying, commander of the Fourth Army, and Zhou Daogang, deputy commander of the Fourth Army, welcome the commander-in-chief to Kangding!"

Xiao Yimin closed the car door after getting out of the car, solemnly returned the salute, took a few steps up, and had a bear hug with Zhong Ying: "Big brother has worked hard... Brother Pond has worked hard! ”

Zhong Ying he, straightened, grabbed Xiao Yimin's hands, looked up and down, Zhou Daogang even said that no matter how hard it is, it is worth it.

More than 10,000 people around were extremely excited, waving the colorful silk and hats in their hands, and chanting Commander Xiao in unison.

Xiao Yimin waved to more than 10,000 people again and again, when Zhong Ying pulled Xiao Yimin in front of more than a dozen lamas, the cheers that shook the valley slowly stopped, and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians looked at the respectful and solemn lamas and the Hada raised high in their hands with pride.

The fat and old Longkang Living Buddha once again offered barley wine, Xiao Yimin thanked him very decently, held the golden bowl on the red sandalwood gold tray with both hands, and according to the etiquette learned in advance, stretched out the middle finger of his right hand and dipped it in wine, gently flicked it, worshiped heaven and earth, and finally put down the golden bowl and stepped forward, took the hand of the living Buddha with both hands, and smiled humbly:

"Thanks to the Living Buddha and all Tibetan compatriots, the mellow barley wine warms my heart, I wish the five-color flags of the monasteries on the Zheduo Mountain will always flutter, and I wish all the people living on this land harmony, health, happiness and auspiciousness!"

The Living Buddha of Longkang, who is proficient in Chinese, was suddenly stunned, and in the laughter around him, he stared at the young general in front of him with a complicated expression.

After a short period of distraction, the tense face of the living Buddha of Longkang gradually relaxed, and he took half a step back with great solemnity, and saluted Xiao Yimin again, and more than a dozen lamas behind Longkang bent down and knelt down, and then sat cross-legged like Longkang, reciting Buddhist scriptures, and hundreds of Tibetans behind the lama then prostrate together, throwing themselves to the ground, extremely religious.

The tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians around, whether they believed in Buddhism or not, closed their mouths with interest at this moment and waited quietly, leaving only the melodious voice of the Living Buddha and his more than ten disciples chanting in the air, making Xiao Yimin, who had never seen such a scene, a little at a loss.

Zhong Ying and other generals were relieved, huddled around Xiao Yimin, and waited quietly, and thousands of officers and soldiers with loaded guns and ammunition also stood up straight, with a rare smile on their faces.

Zhong Ying, who is fluent in Tibetan language and Tibetan customs, quietly explained in Xiao Yimin's ear:

"Longkang Living Buddha took your words as a promise, it is estimated that in the past two years, we have started a little heavier, after the twelve monasteries in Kangding have been cleaned, now only three are left, more than 20,000 parishioners fled the Kangding area because of fear, and the Tusi head people of more than a dozen towns around them hid in the mountains, and only began to return one after another at the beginning of the year, among which the Yi and Miao tribes have formed a blood alliance with us, and they get along like brothers, but there are still some Tibetan compatriots who have not returned, and have fled to Lhasa and Shannan

"What you just said fell into the ears of the living Buddha and the Tibetans, and it turned into forgiveness and reconciliation, which is why they made such a big scene."

Zhou Daogang proudly added:

"The three mountains and two rivers of Kangding have spread all over the villages and towns of our Han people, the Red Sea grassland has become the first pasture of our army, and the seven color sea hot springs have become the rehabilitation hospital of our army, the people of the Han, Yi, Miao and Yao ethnic groups who were originally squeezed by the Tibetan Tusi for a hundred years have completely turned over and liberated, and the three major gypsum mines and the two major silver mines have returned to the hands of the Han and Yi peoples, if it were not for the strict protection of the famous monasteries and religious freedom before the Western Expedition, we are also strict, I am afraid that the last three large monasteries have long been burned by the people of all ethnic groups who turned over and became the masters, it is really a great merit!"

"Yes, yes! After the arrival of the team and the medical team at the headquarters, they sang the "Kangding Love Song" and "Laundry Song" you wrote everywhere, don't you say, it really fucking has received miraculous results, the people just eat your set, the Han people sing the most happily, and the Tibetans are also fascinated by the passive listening tunes, haha! It's a hundred times better than the work of tens of thousands of our brothers, and I really admire you from the bottom of my heart! ”

The cunning Zhong Ying didn't forget to pat himself at this time, it is estimated that Xiao Yimin did not show a smile on his face, Zhong Ying felt that he had probably gone too far in the past two years.

The chanting finally stopped, and the cheers rang out again.

Xiao Yiming stepped forward, comforted the living Buddha and lamas, and then thanked and said goodbye very politely, waved to the cheering people around him, and then boarded the car surrounded by Zhong Ying and other generals, and went south along the Zheduo River to enter the camp of Happy Horse Mountain in the south of the city.

After the banquet, it was already evening, the dusk in Kangding came later than in Chengdu, Xiao Yimin, accompanied by the two military commanders, climbed to the top of the newly built four-story fortress on the mountainside, looked at the snow-capped mountains of Gongga Mountain dyed yellow by the golden sunset, and then turned to the north, overlooking the whole city, and there was a sense of trance for a while.

Zhong Ying and Zhou Daogang drank a lot of wine, their cheeks were red at this time, the corners of their mouths were smiling, and they stood beside Xiao Yimin on the left and right, and their interest was very high.

Looking at the brand-new urban area in the north and the scattered houses on both sides of the river, Zhong Ying and Zhou Daogang felt pride in their hearts.

Although they often climb here, but each time there is a different feeling, the most satisfying thing for them is that Kangding, known as the "Sichuan-Tibet gateway", "ancient road center" known as the strategic town, has been firmly in their hands, they are now not only the famous border army is the deputy commander, but also the most powerful civil governor in the vast Xikang region, this important town in their hands is said to be stable and prosperous, become the largest material distribution center in the Sichuan-Tibet region, just two years, the population of the Han nationality exceeds 30,000, and the tax is increasing month by month. Such an achievement is enough to make the two proud.

(To be continued)