Since the demarcation of the border between the two armies outside the city of Nantai. The whole Jiangbei is in a relatively harmonious state, there is no friction between the national army and the first country, and there are few conflicts between the Chinese army and the Japanese army.

The territory of the Daqingshan Detachment of the Eighth Route Army has expanded three times compared with before, and they have included Longyang County in the scope of the base area, except for the county seat, it is all over the world, and when Chen Zikun received the telegram from Chongqing, he also received an invitation letter from the Jiangbei Special Committee, inviting him to observe the political election in the base area.

Chen Zikun decided to go to the appointment, led the guards to Longyang, set off early in the morning, marched on the fertile field in the north of the river, and suddenly the scout came to report, saying that a Japanese army had been found ahead, about the size of a squadron.

"Let's fight." The subordinates were gearing up.

"Get ready for battle, catch up." Chen Zikun ordered that he would like to see the combat effectiveness of the Fourth Division.

A squadron of about 200 Japanese troops drove over from the opposite side, and when they found that they had encountered the Chinese troops, they shouted and shouted one by one, shrunk their formations, and withdrew from the road for defensive positions, and the two sides were deadlocked for ten minutes, and neither shot was fired.

Chen Zikun realized that the Japanese probably did not want to fight, so he asked a detachment to drive over to test first.

More than a dozen soldiers passed in front of the Japanese soldiers with guns and cats, but the Japanese still did not fire.

After another platoon, there was still no movement, and this time Chen Zikun understood that the Japanese really didn't want to fight, so he ordered the troops to get out of the way and let the Japanese pass.

The commander of the Japanese army is also a person who understands, commanding the troops to drive over cautiously, both sides are tense, their fingers are on the trigger, but neither is shooting, when the Japanese squadron passes, everyone is relieved, and then laughed, after so many years, I have never seen such a cowardly imperial army.

Coming to a town ten miles away from Chengguan in Longyang County, Su Wenshan, secretary of the Jiangbei Special Committee, warmly received Chen Zikun and his entourage, and arranged for him to visit the town, although it is not the county seat, but it is more prosperous than the county seat, there are many shops on both sides of the street, and the business of teahouses and restaurants is booming.

Secretary Su introduced: "We are grasping both the military and the economy, we must not only boost the anti-Japanese armed forces, but also boost the economy, otherwise we will not be able to feed the army, the work of the Longyang County Party Committee has been carried out very well, the agricultural products and handicrafts industry have returned to the pre-war level, and the economic exchanges with the enemy-occupied areas are also extensive, the combat effectiveness of the troops has increased, and the burden on the common people has also been reduced. ”

Chan asked, "What currency do you use to trade with enemy-occupied areas?" ”

Secretary Su said with a smile: "General Chen is really an expert, in a word, we use many types of currency, in the enemy-occupied areas to purchase ordinary materials using fiat currency or Huaxing coupons, to buy sensitive materials with silver dollars and gold bars, and then opium, the currency used in the base area is Jiangbei bills, and the issuance of their own paper money is very beneficial to the economy." ”

As he spoke, he took out a banknote and showed it to him, the rough-edged paper was poorly printed, and there was a large seal of the Jiangbei base government on it.

Chen Zikun's heart moved, and he secretly thought about how he forgot this trick, and when he went back, he took out the sealed **Dongguan Emperor ticket and put it into use, and also fished him out.

After walking around the street, Secretary Su asked Chen Zikun to observe the town government election.

Elections are not a rare thing, there were elections in the Beiyang period, the members of the National Assembly of Jiangdong Province were elected by the people, but not universal suffrage, but similar to the election of elites, banker Gong Jiaxiang is because he was born in foreign countries, has knowledge and qualifications, and people are still in foreign countries, so he became a member of the parliament in a daze, and later he also voted for Chen Zikun in the presidential election.

The corners of Chen Zikun's mouth floated a playful smile, he knew very well this trick, when he made a peasant association in Hunan, seized local power, and robbed all the landlords' property, the cadres of the peasant association climbed on the gums of the landlord's house, and regarded the aunt's wife and young lady as trophies, and the slogan at that time was that all rights belonged to the peasant association, and the entire Hunan and Hubei regions were bloody and bloody, and the heads of the people killed were rolling, and more than ten years have passed, I don't know how much they have grown.

What shocked him was not that the election was orderly, but that there were many squires and landlords among the candidates, and the townspeople passed through a room with their ballots and cast their votes in front of the boxes with the names of the candidates, and all the men and women in the town who had reached the age of eighteen had the right to vote.

The elected person was a middle-aged man wearing a long shirt and a horse coat, who came to the stage and bowed to everyone, saying that he would support the construction of the base area and seek welfare for the people.

Secretary Su saw Chen Zikun's doubts and explained: "According to the guiding spirit of Yan'an, the principle of the three-three system is implemented in the local area, and there are not only representatives of workers and peasants in the government, but also non-party personages from other strata, that is, one-third of the first-class members, one-third of the progressives, and one-third of the people who are neither left nor right, so that the elected government is more representative and inclusive." ”

Chan said: "What about the election situation in the grassroots villages? ”

Secretary Su said: "The countryside has its limitations, we respect the clan concept of the villagers, take care of their education level, and implement a secret ballot, each person has a straw stick instead of a ballot, each person has one vote, to elect the village head, and our party will never interfere in the election." ”

Chen Zikun was calm on the surface, but he was terrified in his heart.

The reception was held in the town government canteen, and the county magistrate and senators of Longyang County also came to accompany the guests, and Chen Zikun saw a familiar face, which was none other than Li Juren, a squire from Nantai County.

"Commander-in-chief, Xiao Lao'er is now a senator from Longyang County." Li Juren stood up and bowed, his robe and horse coat and melon skin hat, and there was a sparse yellow braid behind the hat.

Chen Zikun was very puzzled: "Li Juren, aren't you from Nantai, why did you come to Longyang to be a senator?" ”

Li Judao: "Back to the commander-in-chief's words, my hometown is Longyang, my family has a lot of land in Longyang, the first two years to run to Japan, back to Longyang countryside to avoid the scourge of war, *** The Eighth Route Army is here, please go out of the mountain to be a county senator, I think about an old bone, for Sang Zi is also deserved, hehe, I was elected." ”

Chen Zikun said: "Good, good. ”

Secretary Su said: "After eating, let's go to the army to visit, Commander Wu went to Yan'an to study, otherwise he will accompany you." ”

After dinner, we visited the garrison of the Eighth Route Army, a group of soldiers practiced fighting bayonets on the school field, their military appearance was much better than before, the uniform coarse cloth uniforms, leggings and cloth shoes, and more than 38 guns in the firearms, no matter how bad it was, it was made in Hanyang, the old sleeves were eliminated to the militia of the district squad, and there were also children's regiment members with red tassel guns standing guard at the entrance of the village, and they were in full swing everywhere and their fighting spirit was high.

Political Commissar Ye Xuefeng received Chen Zikun and his entourage, enthusiastically poured him a teapot of boiling water, and greeted: "Commander-in-Chief Chen drink water, you're welcome, you came here today, it can be described as a double happiness." ”

Chen Zikun said: "What is it? ”

Ye Xuefeng said: "Your nephew Zhao Ziming, because of his bravery, was promoted to deputy battalion commander, and the detachment recruited him as a reserve party member, this is a joy, and another joy is that Xiao Zhao and Nurse Xiao Ye of the health team are engaged." ”

Chen Zikun said: "This is a good thing, what about my nephew and daughter-in-law, I haven't seen it yet." ”

Ye Xuefeng said: "Xiao Li, run to call Nurse Ye." ”

"Yes!" The guard Xiao Li slipped away.

Ye Xuefeng picked up the tea jar and blew the hot air, and seemed to ask casually, "What are your opinions and views on the construction of our base area?" ”

Chen Zikun said: "It's in full swing, good, very good. ”

Ye Xuefeng and Su Wenshan exchanged glances, and Su Wenshan suddenly said, "If Chairman Jiang asks you to attack us, what will you do?" ”

Chen Zikun's heart moved, could it be that *** had planted spies in Chongqing and got the content of the top-secret telegram, otherwise how could he invite himself to visit at this time, and how could he ask such a sensitive question.

"Although Chen is a soldier, he is not a foolish and loyal soldier like Yue Fei, not to mention that Chairman Jiang will not do this, even if there is such a chaotic life, I will not accept it."

Su Wenshan nodded: "General Chen, you are worthy of being our *** old friend." ”

In the health team, Sister Ma of the Organization Department of the Special Committee was doing ideological work with Nurse Xiao Ye, and she said earnestly: "Xiao Ye, there is nothing to be embarrassed about when a man is married and a woman is married. ”

Ye Wei said: "I don't want to get married, the work of the health team is very busy, I don't have time to think about personal issues, and I don't want to think about it. ”

Sister Ma became serious: "Comrade Xiao Ye, I might as well tell you directly, your personal problems are also part of the united front work, and as a member of the Communist Youth League, you must obey the organization's arrangements, which is beyond you." ”

Hearing this, Ye Wei was silent, and only after a while did he say in a hoarse voice: "Give me a few days to think about it, okay?" ”

She knew what it meant to work on the united front, that is, to marry an enlightened gentleman or a Kuomintang officer or something, and if she knew this, she might as well agree to Zhao Ziming.

Sister Ma said: "It's too late, I have to get engaged today, Chen Zikun is already in the headquarters, Secretary Su and Political Commissar Ye are talking with him." ”

Ye Wei's eyes widened: "You want me to marry Chen Zikun!" ”

Sister Ma was stunned for a while, and suddenly smiled: "Xiao Ye, Xiao Ye, where do you want to go, Chen Zikun is a forty-year-old old man, and he still has three wives and four concubines, how could the organization push you into the fire pit, and you also know the object introduced to you, that is, the stunned young Zhao Ziming of the spy company, by the way, I heard that he is about to be promoted to deputy battalion commander, and the organizational relationship has also come over, and the probationary party member is more advanced than you." ”

Ye Wei grinned, his expression greatly relaxed.

Sister Ma said: "What do you mean, you just agreed?" ”

Ye Wei twisted and said: "I obey the organizational arrangement." ”