Cold night, silent, windy.

After a whole day of hustle and bustle, Hailan Pao, a major commercial town in the frontier, finally fell into complete tranquility.

Completely different from other cities with similar geographical locations, there are few entertainment venues here to drink, sing and dance, and at 10 o'clock in the evening, the city closes its doors and blows out the lights and pulls out the wax, and falls asleep one after another.

In addition to the street lamps on the street, the searchlights of the temporary freight yard built on the periphery are rare to even wander at night. Every once in a while, however, a group of militiamen of varying numbers quietly patrolled the procession.

Under normal circumstances, the patrol activities in the city will also end after 12 o'clock at midnight, and will be transferred to the fixed street posts and the light and dark posts on the periphery.

Although in the past ten years, very few people have dared to come here to find trouble, and there are large bandits in the entire Northeast who can endure tossing, and they have long been wiped out by the revolutionary government. Some smart people crossed the river early and ran to Maozi's territory, and occasionally touched some unlucky caravans nearby to attack, but they never dared to attack Hailan Pao.

Not only does every house here have guns, but every house can be used as a temporary base for offensive and defensive operations. A whole battalion of militia was formed to maintain law and order, with the town of Daheihe on the opposite side of the bridge, and the regular army of the Northern Xinjiang Construction Corps stationed.

Few people are impatient enough to come and ask for wildfire.

In a few days, the model project of the Sino-Russian railway construction will be opened to traffic, and Hailan Bubble is just at the node where the railway passes, and it is inevitable that it will develop and prosper in the foreseeable future.

The whole city rejoiced and eagerly awaited the day.

The friendly cooperation between China and Russia means that they can go all out to do business. Don't worry about fighting on both sides and making you afraid.

But there are some people. Not only can't I sleep. Even when tonight fell, my eyes widened more and more energetically, looking at the gloomy and snowy sky in a daze.

Zhao Dacheng, the commander of the militia battalion, is one of them.

Zhao Dacheng was born in the Invalids, the first batch of the former Qing Dynasty to join the new army, followed Yang Hao to North Korea to fight the Japanese radish head, was blinded in one left eye, suffered a gun on his body, and had to retire. However, in exchange for the family's land and the opportunity to work and go to school.

At the commendation meeting for combat heroes personally presided over by Yang Hao. Zhao Dacheng wore red and green to accept the cheers and cheers of tens of thousands of villagers. From then on, he vowed to work for Mr. Yang for the rest of his life.

Unexpectedly, a few years later, Mr. Yang became the head of Yang, killed the Manchu Tartars and opened a new dynasty. According to ordinary people, that is the new emperor.

As the elder brother of the team who started from the dragon, Zhao Dacheng and other early brothers in the army were regarded by countless people as a bridge to get close to the head of state. The family tossed day and night for the people who pulled the relationship and went through the back door to give gifts, and in a fit of anger, he simply took his wife and children after the separation to join the Northern Xinjiang Pioneer Army. Run directly to the most remote Hailan bubbles.

With the first batch of military merit medals personally issued by the head of state as a witness, Zhao Dacheng became the most reliable person. He was appointed as the commander of the militia battalion and was responsible for the daily security and prevention of the entire Hailan Bubble.

He always thought that he could not smear the face of the great head, and after taking office, he worked diligently, regardless of the wind and rain in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and did not slack off for a day. It must be the last one to go back to rest after the lights out inspection.

Over the past few years, the wind and rain have not changed.

Tonight, Zhao Dacheng finished his inspection as usual and went home to lie down.

The hot kang paved with oak wood planks is extraordinarily warm, and the two-layer glass windows are even more isolated from the cold wind howling outside.

But tonight was different. From the moment he lay down, he was like a pancake, turning over every few minutes, rolling around and tearing the quilt crookedly. The mother-in-law was also disturbed by him and couldn't sleep restlessly, so she pinched a few handfuls angrily.

It doesn't work either. Lao Zhao couldn't hold back for long, moved again, and was kicked by his mother-in-law.

He muttered, simply got up and put on his padded jacket and went outside, without turning on the light, stirring up the coal fire of the earthen heating stove, lit a cigarette on the beating coals, and sat on the maza and smoked.

With such an ordinary performance, the mother-in-law can't sleep soundly. After a while, he also got up, poured a teapot of hot water from the stove for him, lowered his voice and asked, "Why are you tossing if you don't sleep for no reason?" ”

Zhao Dacheng took it in his hand, let the steaming heat mix with the smoke and stain his face, frowned and hummed: "Sleepy your sleep!" Gentlemen's business, girls don't have to worry about it! ”

The machismo of the Shandong lords has not changed in the new dynasty.

Old Mrs. Zhao also had a strong temper, and immediately replied: "You are so tidy, why are you sleepy?" Did Li Jun come to tell you something at noon? ”

The family was forced to run thousands of miles away in Kanto, and they all crossed Heilongjiang, so far away from home, to be honest, the mother-in-law was not very happy. Therefore, for the acquaintances who came to the door, she not only did not have a good face, but also was vigilant.

The temperament of their own masters can't be changed, and in order to fulfill the kindness of the great head, they can only grit their teeth and support themselves, and they can't drop their faces to the ground.

But in the same way, it is necessary to let those who come to make trouble retreat.

During the day, Li Jun, who is also a fellow villager in Rizhao, suddenly came, and the two didn't know what they had discussed. Lao Zhao was so thoughtful that he couldn't see it on his face. As a result, I couldn't hold back at night, and I couldn't sleep.

Zhao Dacheng frowned and sneered for a while, raised his eyes and glanced at it, and found that his mother-in-law was glaring angrily and refused to relax, so he snorted helplessly, and said: "I didn't say anything else, just told me to pay attention to the past two days, and the people next to me were all chattering about the past." ”

The mother-in-law snorted coldly: "Still want to fool? My mother has been trapped with you for ten years, and I can't see your little flowery intestines? Is there an action in their team that asks you to cooperate? ”

Zhao Dacheng had a headache, and he regretted that he had bragged about how awesome he was many times in order to fool his daughter-in-law. Before becoming a militia battalion commander, he had attended an officer's night school for a few months, which was also quite unambiguous in theory. If you don't have that ability, how can you fool a disabled person back with a beautiful and capable wife?

He blew the cowhide, and his mother-in-law was also interested.

During the day, Li Jun came to look for him. Immediately made her raise the caution. I'm looking at a man like this. Where is the root of the problem?

So. It's not a good thing that my wife is too smart, it's troublesome!

Lao Zhao is really a person, and he can't think of nonsense for the time being, so he simply pretends to be dumb in a muffled voice.

The mother-in-law cheekily squeaked down, turned her head back to the house, and tossed through the boxes and cabinets.

Zhao Dacheng heard that something was wrong, got up and went over to find that she took out a furoshiki to tidy up her clothes, and went up and held it down. Stared at him and asked in a low voice, "What are you making a fuss about in the middle of the night?!" ”

The mother-in-law slapped it away and muttered, "I'll take the child across the river to my cousin's house!" The gentlemen tossed happily, and the provincial ones were in the way. ”

Zhao Dacheng's thick black eyebrows raised and scolded: "Bastard! Don't go! At a critical time, how could my Lao Zhao's family run away first? It's not. ”

Looking at the sneer on his mother-in-law's face, he knew that he had slipped his mouth.

I don't blame my wife for being too shrewd, and slammed my mouths fiercely, Zhao Dacheng sat down on the pestle, and sighed: "Okay, don't make a fuss." Li Jun also said to be more vigilant. Didn't say there must be something. ”

The mother-in-law turned around and leaned against the edge of the kang, bowed her head and twisted the furoshi. That strength can't be crumpled into pieces. After being silent for a while, he complained: "It's only been a few years since I settled down, and I can't avoid it when I have arrived in this barren mountain and wilderness." ”

Lao Zhao didn't say anything, he smoked a cigarette to the end, threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his foot, got up on the ground, and said stiffly: "We have received the favor of the country, and we have to know how to repay it." I was paid for this errand, so I had to take responsibility. ”

The mother-in-law felt a little sad, usually speaking, the consciousness of her own man is definitely commendable. Whether in my hometown or in Hailan, there is no one who is not in awe of it. An upright and selfless person, a man who is responsible and can resist things, not only supports his own belongings, but also holds up a safe umbrella for many people. It is a deep honor to be a wife.

But now it's time to do big things, and those who are fierce and dangerous, and those who are conscious and responsible, often face greater risks! A bad Zhao family's mother-in-law felt that the sky was about to fall.

However, she didn't cry like an ordinary woman, and dragged her to prevent her from going. After more than ten years of marriage, she has known too many things and understood many truths.

clenched her fists tightly, letting her nails break her palms, she didn't take off her shoes and got on the kang, pulling the quilt to cover herself.

Zhao Dacheng stood silently for a while, put on the padded jacket, took out the holster from the drawer and stuck it on his waist, opened the door with a flashlight and went out, and the anti-wool big scalp shoes under the tires clicked on the hard ground, all the way to the street.

In the second half of the second half of February in the early spring of the lunar calendar, the cold wind is still bitterly cold.

Zhao Dacheng rubbed his hands and face to get used to it as soon as possible, and his slightly dry eyes slowly regained sharpness. His muscular figure slowly appeared under the streetlight, and the shadow dragged long. The sound of footsteps echoed through the silent streets, and soon alarmed the sentry boxes in the middle of the street.

"Who?!"

With a broken drink, a bright pillar of light pierced straight over.

Lao Zhao turned his head to avoid the front, squinted his eyes to prevent the light from flashing, and strode closer to the pillar of light.

"Oh, it's Camp Commander Zhao! I was a daring night owl who drank too much. ”

The policeman in the guard box immediately recognized him, and was a little surprised in his heart, but he didn't think much about it, turned off the flashlight, and laughed and teased.

Zhao Dacheng came closer, said hello to the two people inside, and stood outside to speak: "Seeing that the railway is about to open to traffic, there are many big people coming and going, let's be more careful and beware of someone taking the opportunity to make trouble." ”

The policeman smiled disappreciatively: "Who dares! Our army of 100,000 is that kidding? Not to mention others, just Battalion Commander Zhao and the militia can clean him up! I think you're just overthinking. ”

"It's better to think about it than to have an accident!"

Zhao Dacheng didn't talk nonsense with them, borrowed a motorcycle from the sentry box and rode on, and rushed to the militia camp outside the city.

The construction of Hailan Pao is not the same as the old county town in the mainland.

It used to be a place where traders and tiger hunters, miners, second-hand traders and adventurers lived, and the permanent population was small and the floating population was large. As a result, the early buildings were varied and unorganized, and the Qing government collected taxes except for them. It doesn't matter at all.

After the new dynasty. By means of a skirmished military conflict. This is included in the ranks of military management. Urban planning and functional tendencies have changed dramatically as a result.

In the past ten years, the scale of Hailan bubbles has increased tenfold. The well-ordered complex of buildings is laid out on the bank of the Jingqili River that flows into the Heilongjiang River, and a railway crosses the river from the south, and then crosses the Jingqili River after the small town of Zongchuan. The two bridges are connected to the two sides of the river, and the east side has been connected to the Jiangdong 64 Tun administrative office, and perhaps in the next few years, the two places will become a strange large city across the river.

More than ten years of rapid development and expansion. This small city, which originally had only a few thousand people, has skyrocketed to more than 20,000 or 30,000, except for a very small number of old residents, most of them have joined the fields of commerce, logistics, transportation, trade and so on. On the contrary, it is in the service industry, and there are not too many.

This is all due to the original planning requirements.

Hailan Bubble exists as a trading center for Sino-Russian trade. Merchants from the two countries could only store their goods within their respective borders, with the Chinese side being the town of Daheihe and the Russians being Klekhachihe. The businessmen or agents of both sides set up an agency in Hailan Pao, and each time they trade, they will meet and negotiate with the samples of the goods, and after agreeing, they will be stamped and guaranteed by the notary office that has set up here.

After that, the two sides each took the cargo to the temporary cargo terminal. Acceptance pulls away, does not do storage. The transaction is completed. They also leave separately and can't stay in the local area for too long.

As a result, the merchants on both sides have no opportunity to consume on the spot, and the daily flow of people does not benefit much from the tertiary industry except for regular consumption and trade taxes.

According to the general rules of business, it is obviously wrong to do this, and people can't ask to turn the city into a logistics center and a consumption center. Hailan soaked it well, but did it the other way around?

Ordinary people don't know why, but Zhao Dacheng knows that it's because the government has never believed in Mao Zi on the other side, and is ready to use Hailan Pao as a forward base at any time to start a war!

As you can see from the architectural style of the city as a whole, this was used as a barricade when necessary. Those temporary freight yards can be used as barracks if they are cleaned up a little.

In order to ensure that there will not be too many Maozi spies and traitors, and there will not be too many civilians stationed in the country, it will not complicate public security, sacrificing some commercial interests, which is not a big deal at all. Besides, the benefits did not flow outside, and the Dahei River on the other side of the river benefited. In the future, the two sides will develop into one and become one city.

is also to paralyze Maozi, Hailan Pao has no garrison, only the militia joint defense.

In this way, the weight of Zhao Dacheng's responsibility is self-evident.

Riding a motorcycle, running at a speed of 30 kilometers on a silent street, the streetlights kept approaching and leaving behind them, leaving a series of sharply changing shadows.

Zhao Dacheng's eyes narrowed slightly, letting the cold wind blow his cheeks wooden, and his mind became more and more sober. The words of his comrade-in-arms Li Jun during the day came to mind word for word.

"Dacheng, I learned some information above, and Mao Zi on the other side wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of the opening ceremony to find trouble, and it was likely to attack Hailan Pao and Jiangdong Tunzi. We have to have the moral upper hand, and we can't give Maozi a handle, so we can't send troops over first. You have a heavy task here, and if something happens, you must fight off the first wave of enemies. But don't worry, I also have men ready here, and as soon as the guns go off, reinforcements will be in place immediately. ”

Looking back now, Zhao Dacheng felt worried in his heart.

He wasn't afraid of war, he didn't think it was great after the fighting. However, China and Russia are obviously celebrating the unprecedented success of cooperation like honey blending oil, but they are both showing knives behind their backs and preparing to stab each other! China's side has gone one step further, and at the same time it has to try to seize the moral high ground -- the miscellaneous things involved in this war are a bit more complicated!

Zhao Dacheng has never been a high-level military general, so he can't master much strategic knowledge. But after all, he has attended a short school and is well aware of the insidious and vicious nature of China's approach.

It seems to be very unpleasant, not so bright. But from the perspective of the overall situation of national interests, it is not so calculated. This is also very much in line with the traditional practice of Chinese culture, which is not to fight unjustly. Only by justifying the name can we get the support of the whole body.

There were too many things he could control, and now he hoped that the worst would not happen.

But I was afraid of something, and when I saw that I was about to reach the barracks, suddenly a bright fireworks burst out on the dark sky!

Zhao Dacheng was full of excitement, and his hairs stood on end—the enemy is really coming! (To be continued......)