The C-47 transport plane had just stopped on the tarmac of Yangjie Airport, and Zhao Xiangzhu was the first to step down the escalator, which was her first time at Yangjie Airport.

Since the outbreak of the war, Zhao Xiangzhu has often gone to the frontline troops to conduct interviews, and sometimes even went deep into the front-line regiment-level command post. In the eyes of her peers, Zhao Xiangzhu is surprisingly bold, and her story is often circulated among her peers. There is a joke in this, in the third battle of Changsha, Zhao Xiangzhu actually got into a bunker in the forward position, first helped the machine gunner to press the bullet, and then made a further request, she wanted to try light machine gun shooting. At that time, it was the interval of the enemy's attack, and the machine gunner couldn't resist her, so he had to let her try to shoot a few rounds, Zhao Xiangzhu was stunned, and it was a long point shot when he went up, and the bullets were all hit on the ground seven or eight meters away from the hole, and the recoil of the machine gun almost knocked his shoulder out of the mortar, so frightened that the machine gunner's face turned white.

Cai Jigang commented on his wife like this: Ms. Zhao Xiangzhu is full of enthusiasm for everything, with a strong sense of participation and curiosity, but in terms of specific operations, this lady often plays a role in chaos.

As a military reporter, Zhao Xiangzhu has interviewed many generals and soldiers, and has also been to the battlefield many times and experienced many dangers. She was familiar with the military, but it was limited to the Army, and she had never dealt with the Air Force. This time I came to Sheep Street Airport, mainly because of Chennault. The American general is a busy man, his whereabouts are erratic, in order to interview Chennault, Zhao Xiangzhu ran his legs thin, and he actually followed him for half a month without finding him. The elusive Chennault was often still in Chongqing in the morning, and arrived in Guilin in the afternoon, and when Zhao Xiangzhu chased him to Guilin, Chennault flew to Zhijiang Airport in Hunan, and Zhao Xiangzhu chased after him and tracked him to Zhijiang, but only half an hour late, Chennault had arrived at Kunming Yangjie Airport. After Zhao Xiangzhu got the news, she lost her temper, she waited on the tarmac of Zhijiang Airport for six hours, and finally waited for a US military transport plane to fly to Yangjie Airport.

When Zhao Xiangzhu rushed to the news reception at Yangjie Airport out of breath, an officer told her that General Chennault had already taken a car to Wujiaba Airport two hours earlier. Zhao Xiangzhu sat there paralyzed when she heard this, she really didn't have the strength to continue to follow, this American general who was over half a hundred years old was full of energy, very comparable, Zhao Xiangzhu was almost ready to give up the interview.

Looking at Zhao Xiangzhu's tired appearance, the officer seemed to be unbearable, and he secretly revealed a secret to Zhao Xiangzhu: General Chennault will return to Yangjie Airport tomorrow afternoon. Zhao Xiangzhu came to his senses again when he heard it, this old cowboy didn't escape from her palm, since he will come back tomorrow, it is better to wait for the rabbit at the Yangjie Airport now, and wait for the old man to bump into him.

Zhao Xiangzhu looked at her watch, the time was three o'clock in the afternoon, it was still early for dinner, and she decided to go to the club's bar to kill time. Although it was the first time she came here, she had already heard of the U.S. Army Club at Sheep Street Airport, which was a well-known place and had always been talked about by the Air Force personnel in the rear, so Zhao Xiangzhu decided to experience it.

She sat on a stool at the bar and asked for a Blood Mary cocktail, sipping through the English magazines on the bar. Suddenly, Zhao Xiangzhu put down the magazine, frowned slightly, and looked up at the bartender standing at the bar, who turned out to be a young girl.

Zhao Xiangzhu was surprised, she gently pushed the wine glass forward, and asked, "Miss, did you mix this glass of wine?" ”

The girl immediately looked nervous: "I tuned it, what, is the taste wrong?" ”

"You seem to have forgotten to put black pepper, and besides, the ratio of vodka is not right, I remember that in the standard recipe of 'Blood Mary', vodka should be no less than 1.5 ounces, miss, you mix a little less."

The girl standing at the bar was Shen Xingyun, and the bartender had an urgent need to go out this afternoon, begging Shen Xingyun to work for him for a while. Shen Xingyun had also learned some bartending techniques before, but he rarely practiced it, so he made a mistake in a hurry.

Shen Xingyun hurriedly apologized: "I'm sorry, it's my fault, I'll make you a new cup right away, you don't have to pay for this glass of wine." ”

Zhao Xiangzhu asked strangely: "Miss, you don't seem to be a bartender, right?" As far as I can remember, I've never seen a young girl working as a bartender. ”

Shen Xingyun blushed, and she admitted embarrassedly: "I'm really sorry, the bartender has something to do temporarily, I'll be on duty for him for a while, I'll ...... I'm a nutritionist, and I'm not very good at bartending, so usually there are very few customers in the bar at this time, so I didn't expect you to run into it, I'm really sorry. ”

"Oh, it's okay, I'm killing time anyway, I don't really want to drink, you don't have to remix, give me a glass of water." Miss, are your nutritionists here also active duty soldiers? Zhao Xiangzhu has developed the professional habit of a reporter, no matter who he meets, he will quickly close the distance and enter a state of casual chatting.

"Yes, our medical staff here belong to the Chinese branch of the American Red Cross, and they belong to the 14th Air Force, so they are all active duty soldiers, and most of them are American soldiers. However, I am a Chinese national. ”

Zhao Xiangzhu took out the interview book and pen: "Oh, this is the first time I've heard of it, it seems that not only the mixed regiment of the Chinese and American Air Forces, but even the medical staff here are also mixed Chinese and American soldiers." Miss, can we have a chat? ”

"Of course, if I'm not mistaken, you're a journalist, right?"

Zhao Xiangzhu nodded: "I am a reporter from the Central Daily, my name is Zhao Xiangzhu." ”

Shen Xingyun said excitedly: "That's great, three days ago, there was an air raid by enemy planes here, we have a big hero here, he actually grabbed a plane, braved the enemy's bombing and forcibly took off, and went up to shoot down an enemy plane, it's amazing, you can write about this hero." ”

Zhao Xiangzhu suddenly became interested: "Oh my God, it seems that I came just in time, you talk about this hero, what is his name?" Where are the people? In which unit did you serve? ”

"His name is Cai Jiheng, and he has a very powerful nickname, called Crocodile......" Shen Xingyun exaggerated and made a terrifying appearance, as if he had turned into a crocodile with teeth and claws.

Zhao Xiangzhu opened his mouth wide in surprise: "Cai Jiheng? Is it Cai Jiheng of the Sino-US mixed group? How did he ...... Over here? ”

"Yes, he has just been transferred from the Sino-US mixed group, and he has not been assigned a specific job, you ...... Know him? ”

Zhao Xiangzhu closed the interview book and said with a smile: "Sure enough, it's this stinky boy, of course I know him, I'm his sister." ”

There are four brothers and sisters in Cai Jigang's family, Zhao Xiangzhu and the youngest brother Cai Jiheng have the best relationship, as for the two sisters-in-law, Zhao Xiangzhu is polite on the surface, but she always maintains her feelings at a certain distance in her heart, she thinks that it is difficult for women to communicate with each other, especially sister-in-law to sister-in-law, no matter how comprehensive you do, they will still treat you with a scrutinizing and critical eye, Zhao Xiangzhu feels that it is difficult for him to please them. Besides, she was originally a new woman who was financially independent, and she married into the Cai family because she loved Cai Jigang, but not for dressing and eating, why did she put down her body to please her sister-in-law?

Before Zhao Xiangzhu married into the Cai family, her mother-in-law had already died, and the old man did not renew the strings, which made her very happy, if she caught up with a mother-in-law who was difficult to wait, with her character, I am afraid it would be difficult to get along. The Cai family belongs to an old-style big family, with a lot of red tape and rules, and new women like Zhao Xiangzhu feel very uncomfortable with this, but fortunately they don't usually live with them, so there is no contradiction for the time being.

Compared with others, Cai Jiheng is much easier to get along with, he is enthusiastic, transparent, bold, and sometimes very naughty, which is very popular with Zhao Xiangzhu. In this big family, whenever Zhao Xiangzhu has something on her mind and needs to communicate with others, the first thing she thinks of is Cai Jiheng.

She still remembers the first time she met Cai Jiheng, when he was a first-year college student.

Cai Jiheng said: "Sister-in-law, you are more beautiful than I imagined, it seems that the eldest brother is still very discerning." Also, I have a question, do you want me to call you sister-in-law, or sister-in-law? ”

Zhao Xiangzhu thought for a while and said, "Just call me sister, my family has a small population and no brothers and sisters, so I am very willing to have a younger brother like you." ”

Since then, Zhao Xiangzhu and Cai Jiheng have always been commensurate with each other as sisters and brothers, and the two get along very well. Zhao Xiangzhu is very pampered by this younger brother who is six years younger than him. When he was studying at Southwest Associated University, the old man controlled his monthly pocket money very strictly, and Cai Jiheng liked to make friends and spend lavishly, so he was always financially stretched. Zhao Xiangzhu felt sorry for her younger brother, her own income was not low, and her mother's family was rich, so she secretly sent him money without telling the old man and her husband, and even encouraged him to have a girlfriend.

Zhao Xiangzhu always told Cai Jiheng that a man must have some money on him, otherwise it will be difficult to maintain his dignity. Remember, when you run out of money, tell your sister that your sister will make you live like a man by smashing pots and selling iron.

Zhao Xiangzhu didn't expect Cai Jiheng to be here, she always thought that Cai Jiheng's flight squadron was still stationed at Hengyang Airport, and she was about to take time to go to Hengyang to see him. This stinky boy didn't tell his sister when he transferred the unit, it's too unusual.

Zhao Xiangzhu listened to Shen Xingyun tell about Cai Jiheng's heroic feats, she smiled, and felt that there was nothing to make a fuss about, this is Cai Jiheng, he can always do dumbfounded things, shooting down an enemy plane is really not a big deal, with this stinky boy's unruly character and scheming brain, if his P-40 has a long enough range, he will dare to bomb Tokyo. In this world, how can there be anything that this stinky boy doesn't dare to do?

But the delicate-looking girl in front of her is worth paying attention to, why did Cai Jiheng's eyes light up when she mentioned it, and her fair face turned pink? Zhao Xiangzhu is from the past, and she can see at a glance that this girl is afraid that she is in love with Cai Jiheng. If this is the case, Zhao Xiangzhu has to be cautious, she thinks that she has the responsibility to check for her younger brother.

"Miss, what shall I call you?"

"My name is Shen Xingyun, since you are Cai Jiheng's sister, then I will also call you sister." Shen Xingyun replied very generously.

"Okay, I'll call you Nebula in the future, and we'll know each other. Xingyun, my sister is a straight person, and I don't like to talk around the bend, if there is anything abrupt, please forgive me! I want to ask you, do you have a crush on my brother? Zhao Xiangzhu said bluntly.

Shen Xingyun hesitated for a moment, nodded a little shyly and admitted: "Yes......"

"Well, that means you like him, don't you?"

Shen Xingyun nodded in a panic: "Yes, I like him, but ...... I didn't say it to him. ”

Zhao Xiangzhu smiled: "Then you should talk to him, maybe he doesn't know." There is another question, I wonder if you have thought about it? If you choose a pilot to be your boyfriend, you should be mentally prepared, because he may be killed or injured and disabled at any time, have you thought about this? ”

Shen Xingyun nodded solemnly: "I have thought about it, I think...... As long as it's my own choice, there's nothing to regret. Sister, I want to tell you the story of these pilots, are you interested in hearing it? ”

"Of course, I'm interested."

"You know, my job is to serve these pilots, and I have a total of four female nutritionists at Sheep Street Airport, and we are responsible for the diet of more than 200 Chinese and American aircrews of the 23rd and 308th Brigades. They were young people, most of whom had never even had girlfriends, and in my opinion, they were all big boys who had not grown up, they were headstrong, they did not like to be restrained, they had a strong rebellious mentality, and some of them liked to play pranks. Funny enough, I once received 12 love letters in one day, and five older boys confessed directly. Of course, I don't want to embarrass them, and I won't reject them bluntly, because they have a lot of self-esteem and will hurt them if they don't handle it properly. So I just told the suitor that I was not ready for love for the time being, and asked him to forgive me and that we could be good friends. There is an American pilot among the suitors, named Dennis, your brother Cai Jiheng is also good friends with him, this Dennis is a very stubborn young man, he said, Miss Shen, I really love you, although you rejected me, can I make a small request? Let me kiss you, just once, and even if I die in battle tomorrow, I will go to God with satisfaction. ”

Zhao Xiangzhu smiled: "This American is very romantic, did you promise him?" ”

"No, I told him tactfully, how can this be? I can only let my loved ones kiss, Chinese women can't be so casual, we have our customs. I remember Dennis was very disappointed and said, Miss Shen, you don't know us, every day when I fly a bomber to take off, it is possible to fly directly to God, and one of your kisses can make me die without regrets, because I have never kissed a woman......"

Zhao Xiangzhu's eyes moistened, and she muttered to herself, "This sentence is really...... Heartbreaking. ”

Shen Xingyun looked at her, his eyes were full of melancholy: "Sister, I really regret it, Dennis is a very good person, he has never made such a request since then, he still loves me and treats me as a good friend." But...... In a battle the other day, we lost 68 crew members in one day, including Dennis...... That night, everyone cried profusely. Really, that's unacceptable. 68 outstanding young people who are alive and well, all at once, the war is too cruel, too cruel...... That night, the entire Sheep Street Airport was not asleep, and everyone from the commander to the ordinary soldiers was crying bitterly...... Personally, I feel like the whole sky is falling, and I refuse to accept this reality anyway. There were still meals prepared for them on the table, and their voices and smiles kept appearing before my eyes, but they would never come back...... As Dennis said, they flew to God, and on the way to heaven, is Dennis still sorry for that kiss? Sister, I really regret it, why should I let him go with regrets? Even life is so fragile, what is a kiss? These dead people are my brothers, my comrades-in-arms, I love them, and if I can bring them back to life, I can really do anything......"

Shen Xingyun burst into tears, and Zhao Xiangzhu also cried.

Shen Xingyun wiped away his tears, and a strange brilliance appeared in his eyes: "What I will never forget is that the next morning, the roar of planes sounded on the runway again, and I saw that the faces of those fighter and bomber pilots revealed a cold calm, they made a 'V' gesture to us through the cabin, and then drove the plane to rush onto the runway without hesitation, and the group disappeared into the sky in a blink of an eye...... I couldn't control my tears again, not only me, but all the ground staff, security sentries, and medical personnel at the airport saluted the take-off group with tears in their eyes...... For the first time, I felt the power that emanated from these wonderful men of different nationalities and colors. With them, the world's democratic camp is incomparably strong; With them, our country will not die, and this is the only spiritual force that can sustain us in enduring the suffering of war. ”

Zhao Xiangzhu looked at Shen Xingyun with teary eyes, speechless for a while......

"Sister, you know, the group of pilots is the elite in the army, there is no doubt about it, if there is a person, even in the elite group, belongs to the best, then such a person will really make many women disarm and surrender, do you understand what I mean?"

Zhao Xiangzhu exchanged tears: "I understand, I understand...... Nebula, your words almost broke me, this is the most touching news material I have collected since I entered the industry, and I must write about these things. ”

Shen Xingyun looked at the airport outside the window and whispered: "Yes, write about those sacrificed heroes, and also write about the heroes who are still alive, you can't imagine that the thousands of people at the Yangjie Airport that day all looked up to the sky and watched Cai Jiheng duel with enemy planes in the sky single-handedly, it was really thrilling!" Our female nurses at the Red Cross are usually very good at screaming, and that day was terrible, their screams were so horrible that I had to cover my ears with my hands. When Cai Jiheng's plane landed, everyone's emotions were uncontrollable, and the cheers resounded throughout the airport, and everyone threw him into the air again and again...... I'm sorry to say it, but it was at that moment that I suddenly had a strange feeling for him......"

Zhao Xiangzhu put away his pen and stood up: "Xingyun, please show me the way, I want to go and see him." ”

Cai Jigang's prediction was accurate, as the dust had just settled on the Battle of Henan-China in the north, and the Japanese 11th Army in Wuhan launched a larger-scale campaign.

The commander of the Japanese army in this campaign was General Shunroku Hata, commander-in-chief of the Dispatch Army stationed in China, and the commander of the Chinese side was General Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth Theater of the Nationalist Army.

The Japanese army opened up the Pinghan Railway through the Battle of Henan-Zhong, and the No. 1 operational plan was only half completed, and the next step was naturally to open up the Guangdong-Han line, and to complete this plan, Changsha must be taken, otherwise everything is impossible to talk about.

From September 1938 to December 1941, the Chinese and Japanese armies fought three battles for Changsha, in which the Japanese army invested nearly 300,000 troops and suffered about 90,000 casualties. The Chinese army has invested more than 700,000 troops and suffered about 130,000 casualties.

In the First Battle of Changsha, the two sides fought to a draw, the Japanese army did not achieve the expected combat objectives, and the Chinese army failed to achieve the great victory as advertised; In the Second Battle of Changsha, the Japanese army basically achieved its operational objectives, and the Chinese army suffered heavy losses; In the Third Battle of Changsha, the Japanese army was obviously the losing side, but instead of achieving the goal of annihilating the main force of the Ninth Theater, it suffered unprecedented losses.

To be fair, in the three battles of Changsha, both China and Japan won and lost in the battle, and in terms of casualty ratio, the casualties of the Chinese army were relatively large compared to the Japanese army. However, in terms of strategic objectives and overall strategic situation, the Japanese army failed to achieve the goal of annihilating the main force of the Ninth Theater of the National Army, and then forcing the people to compromise and submit; Although the Ninth Theater of the National Army lost some troops, it basically completed the task of defending Hunan and Jiangxi entrusted by the people. Therefore, from a strategic point of view, the Chinese army should be the winner of the three battles of Changsha.

In Chongqing, China's rear, the people mobilized all their propaganda machines to call the Third Battle of Changsha "Changsha Victory", and public opinion also responded enthusiastically, the whole country rejoiced, and people from all over the country rushed to tell each other and generously donated 340,000 oceans to the medical trauma of the soldiers of the three armed forces alone. ** Ta Kung Pao's Shanghai-based report "National Day on a Lonely Island" said: "The national flag has not been seen on the isolated island for four or five months since the concession authorities set the day on which the flag was hoisted." Just as the victory of Xiangbei was sounding, the blue sky and white sun flags were flying all over the street, excited everyone's enthusiasm, and spit out a long breath that had been suffocated for a long time. ”

Chiang Kai-shek sent a telegram to Xue Yue congratulating him, in which he could not hide his excitement: "The victory in northern Hunan and the excitement of the whole country are sincerely the proof of the final victory, and the relationship between the people's faith and the international audio-visual is especially huge. Jun Lie has made great achievements, and he has a good and deep celebration. ”

General Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth Theater of Operations, became a national hero for a while. Xue Yue's original "Heavenly Furnace Tactics" has become a milestone in turning the tide of the war and saving the country, and some articles even praise Xue Yue: "His strategy and tactics are enough to understand the seclusion of heaven and earth, the mystery of the poor universe, the ghosts and gods are frightened, the personnel are unpredictable, and there is no name, so it is called "Heavenly Furnace Battle". ”

It is okay to boast a few words about a new method of warfare, but once it is touted as "the seclusion of the law and the world, and the mystery of the poor universe," it will be too much.

Taking advantage of the momentum of Changsha's victory, Wu Yizhi, chief of staff of the Ninth Theater, organized people to compile a modern Peking Opera overnight: "The New Battle of Changsha". In the play, the commander Xue Yue personally came to the stage, wearing a handsome helmet and handsome armor, with a horse boy in front and a big sword in the back, with a big "Xue" written on it, and the dragon sets on both sides were branded with the flag of "Loyal to the Country", and I don't know whether it was Liu Bei or Yue Wumu. Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi will naturally not be idle, he is dressed as Zhuge Liang, wearing a scarf, holding a feather fan, wearing a gossip clothes, and also went on stage to play a ticket. The officers and men of the Ninth Theater applauded loudly and shouted hoarsely.

Xue Yue and Wu Yizhi have a very good relationship, they are classmates of the sixth phase of the Baoding Military Academy, and they shared weal and woe during the Eastern Expedition and the Northern Expedition, and they are brothers in life and death. In this way, the relationship between the commander of the theater and the chief of staff is so unusual that it is inevitable to praise each other.

Since the rise of the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese army has suffered many defeats and few victories, and mentally needs encouragement from a victory.

After the war, the Ninth Theater announced that a total of 42,190 Japanese troops were annihilated in this battle. This figure is full and zero, so no one can believe it, and the Japanese side later recorded 3,550 casualties in the history of the war, which is also accurate to a single digit. The statistics of the warring sides are so disparity, of course, but the Chinese figures seem to be more exaggerated.

In this regard, Cai Jigang only smiled bitterly. As a professional soldier, he certainly did not object to the propaganda department exaggerating to a certain extent in order to improve morale, the people need the news of victory, the Chinese people need the support of spiritual strength, and it is understandable to appropriately create some myths. The problem is that China's professional soldiers are dangerous if they also believe in this myth.

Cai Jigang believes that the results of these three battles of Changsha are due to the fact that after the war entered the stage of strategic stalemate, the Japanese base camp adjusted its strategy of aggression against China due to insufficient troops. After the Japanese army occupied Guangzhou and Wuhan, it adopted a policy of political inducement and military offensive supplementation against the people; At the same time, its military strategic principles have also been adjusted accordingly; militarily, it has "not expanded the occupied territory except in the event of special major and necessary circumstances," and has ceased to regard the purpose of its operations as the purpose of attacking cities and seizing materials, but has only coordinated its political and diplomatic offensives with local campaign offensives, so as to achieve the goal of "winning without a fight" in the overall situation and resolving the Chinese incident. Therefore, in the three battles of Changsha, the purpose of each battle formulated by the Japanese army was to annihilate or defeat the main force of the Ninth Theater of the National Army and force the people to compromise and surrender, rather than to occupy areas or plunder property; The time set for each operation was about two weeks, and the food and ammunition carried by the Japanese army in the operation were also based on this time, and once the campaign goal was achieved, the Japanese army would take the initiative to retreat.

Cai Jigang also admitted that the Third Battle of Changsha did achieve good results, and Xue Yue's "Heavenly Furnace Tactic" was of course indispensable, but there was only one opportunity to use this tactic, and it must not be used repeatedly. The so-called "Heavenly Furnace Tactics" is to arrange troops in the combat zone into a network of strongholds, and use ambushes, traps, flanks, and tail attacks to consume the enemy's strength and morale in stages, and finally, "drag" the enemy troops to the preset decisive battle area, and then encircle and annihilate them. At that time, the commander of the Japanese army and the commander of the 11th Army, Anan Weiji, was stunned, and due to the light enemy's rash advance, the two divisions of the Japanese army were surrounded under the city of Changsha, and they were able to escape after a hard battle.

It can be judged that the Japanese army did not have the ability to take Changsha, but that it did not have a plan to occupy Changsha, and the retreat of the Japanese army after each battle was determined by its strategic guiding ideology.

Despite his slight words, Cai Jigang still wrote a report on the battlefield situation to the commanders of the Military Commission, and gave a warning: "This time the Japanese army is determined to win Changsha, and Yokoyama Yong is fully capable of taking Changsha." If Changsha is not protected, the next point of attack of the Japanese army will definitely be Hengyang, and it is even possible to attack Hengyang at the same time as attacking Changsha. Our high command should reassess the current military situation and formulate a practical and effective strategic policy. ”

When the report was sent to the Military Commission, there was no follow-up, and the powerful officials did not know what they were up to, and no one heeded the warnings given by a major general and a war officer.

Cai Jiheng has been notified that there will be a transport plane to Hengyang tomorrow morning, and he can take the transport plane back to Hengyang. He breathed a sigh of relief, he could finally return to the team, and the sooner he left, the better, so as to save more dreams at night.

Now that he has become a big celebrity at Sheep Street Airport, Colonel Robert, the commander of the 23rd Brigade, smiled when he saw Cai Jiheng. Once he went to a bar, and before his ass could sit down, the bartender graciously offered him a glass of tequila. Cai Jiheng asked in surprise: "What's going on?" I haven't asked for alcohol yet. ”

The bartender gestured to Colonel Robert sitting on a bar stool at the bar: "This is Colonel Robert who invited you." ”

Colonel Robert raised his glass to Cai Jiheng and greeted, "Hi, crocodile, the weather is good today." ”

Cai Jiheng raised his glass: "Hello! Colonel, thanks! ”

Colonel Robert approached Cai Jiheng, winked at him and said, "Crocodile, I have a suggestion, you may be interested, do you want to hear it?" ”

"Is it a matter of promotion and fortune? If yes, of course I'd like to hear it! ”

"You guessed half right, I can't control the matter of getting rich, but if you stay in the 23rd Brigade, you can be a squadron leader, isn't this a promotion?"

Cai Jiheng dried the wine in one gulp, he put the wine glass on the table, got up and said: "I'm sorry, Colonel, I appreciate your kindness, I still prefer the Sino-American mixed group, there are many of my friends there, I am willing to be with them, thank you for the wine." ”

Cai Jiheng turned around and walked away, and Colonel Robert's voice came from behind him: "Crocodile, do you want to get a P-51?" You think about it first, you don't have to reply to me right now. ”

Cai Jiheng's record of shooting down six enemy planes on the record sheet is a real ace pilot, and now he has become a sweetheart, and the flight commanders at all levels of the 14th Air Force are playing his ideas, who doesn't want to have a few more trump cards under his command? But Cai Jiheng made up his mind that he would not go anywhere except for the mixed regiment of the Chinese and American Air Forces.

During the days at Yangjie Airport, Cai Jiheng had a problem, and thank God, he can finally return to the team tomorrow. He visited Goro Fujino and Yoshio Naikin and said goodbye to them. Then I went to the machine shop to find Old Jack, and I wanted to say goodbye to him, and I don't know when we will meet after this breakup.

Old Jack heard that Cai Jiheng was leaving, he was very surprised, these days he jumped up and down with Cai Jiheng on his back, lobbying flight commanders at all levels, wanting to leave Cai Jiheng in the 23rd Brigade. In fact, Old Jack didn't want to spoil Cai Jiheng, he was reluctant to let Cai Jiheng go.

It's a good crocodile and a good drinking buddy. Old Jack commented on Cai Jiheng.

"Crocodile, I know, I can't keep you here anyway, so you can get away from me and never let me see you again! But...... I'm going to have a few drinks tonight, I'll pay the bill, and who knows if there's a fucking chance to meet in the future. Old Jack said angrily.

Cai Jiheng didn't want to listen to him complain, so he diverted the topic: "Rattlesnake, listen, I have a major technical reform plan for the P-40, do you want to hear it?" ”

The simple-minded old Jack was immediately fooled, and his train of thought was immediately led to technical problems, and he scratched his scalp in surprise and asked, "What else can the P-40 improve?" Even the P-51 has begun to be installed, if there is really a good improvement plan, why not use it on the P-51? ”

Cai Jiheng said solemnly: "There is an outstanding scientist who has just invented a device that can be installed on the tail of the P-40, when the plane needs to accelerate, as long as the button is pressed, the speed of the plane can be increased to 2,000 miles per hour, and it is enough to fly over the Atlantic Ocean for two hours." Another advantage is that when your plane is injured or malfunctions in battle and has to make a forced landing, you don't have to go through the trouble to find a flat landing site, just press the button again, and a huge parachute pops out on the tail of the plane, which can land the plane on the ground unscathed......"

Old Jack stared at Cai Jiheng with a suspicious face: "Crocodile, is there really such a thing?" How is it a bit like a flying carpet in the Arabian Nights? If you increase the speed all at once, where does its power come from? ”

"Sidewinder, this is not something that your expertise can understand, this should be a new type of rocket propulsion technology, and it is still in the top secret stage. Old Jack, you must be strict-mouthed, and don't tell outsiders. ”

Old Jack drilled the tip of the bull's horns: "This is strange, such a small device, but can produce such a powerful thrust, is its power compressed air...... Impossible, absolutely impossible. Is it the reverse thrust from the launch of a rocket? This...... It's not fucking possible...... Crocodile, you tell me, what is the name of this scientist? You can rest assured! I'm going to rot it in my stomach and beat it to death and not tell anyone about it. ”

Cai Jiheng put his mouth to Old Jack's ear and whispered: "You must keep it a secret, otherwise we will both die......"

Old Jack nodded hurriedly: "I know, I know, don't you believe me?" ”

"Then I can tell you, this great scientist is called ...... Cai, Ji, Heng, the time of invention was last night, and the place was in a dream......"

“Fuck！ Damn crocodile, I'm going to peel off your ugly crocodile skin! Old Jack finally found out that he had been fooled, and he rushed towards Cai Jiheng in a rage......

Cai Jiheng deftly dodged, trying to avoid Old Jack's attack, but he tripped over an iron bucket filled with industrial butter, and Old Jack rode on him, grabbed a handful of butter from the bucket and smeared it on Cai Jiheng's face.

Cai Jiheng struggled and begged for mercy: "I was wrong, I was wrong, I have a treat tonight...... Ouch, you're fucking smearing it on my nose, your nostrils are blocked, you want to suffocate me......"

Old Jack's joke is also a bit big, this kind of butter is supposed to be used to lubricate the bearings of aircraft propellers, and it is a bit too much to rub it on people's faces.

"Damn crocodile, I found that your skin needs a lot of maintenance, and I'm pretty good at it......"

Old Jack grabbed another handful of butter and prepared to continue punishing Cai Jiheng. At this moment, there was a muffled "bang", and Old Jack suddenly received a heavy blow to the back of the head, and he was suddenly dizzy, and countless small stars suddenly burst out in front of him...... Cai Jiheng, who was pressed under him, saw that Old Jack's expression was weird, so he stopped playing: "What's the matter, rattlesnake?" ”

Old Jack glanced back and said in a daze, "Crocodile, what's going on?" There's a woman beating me......"

Cai Jiheng stood up and looked at it, stunned, only to see Zhao Xiangzhu holding a wooden chair in his hand, standing behind Old Jack angrily.

Cai Jiheng shouted in surprise: "Sister, why are you here?" ”

It turned out that Shen Xingyun took Zhao Xiangzhu to go around the airport, but he didn't find Cai Jiheng, and later heard a ground crew say that he saw the crocodile enter the machine repair workshop, so they found here. Zhao Xiangzhu is a very emotional woman, and her joys, sorrows, and sorrows are on her face on weekdays, and they are implemented in action. As soon as she entered the door, she saw a stout foreigner with a full beard riding on her younger brother and rubbing butter on her brother's face, so she decided that this foreigner was bullying Cai Jiheng. So Zhao Xiangzhu committed the temper of the eldest lady again, no matter who he was, whoever bullied her younger brother would fight with whom, Zhao Xiangzhu picked up a chair in a hurry and looked at the old Jack's head. Fortunately, her strength was small, and the consequences were not too serious, and Old Jack only made a moment of confusion and eased up.

Shen Xingyun was also stunned at first, she didn't expect Zhao Xiangzhu to make a sudden move, and when the misunderstanding was clarified, Shen Xingyun couldn't hold back anymore, she looked at Old Jack's embarrassed appearance and laughed loudly.

Zhao Xiangzhu apologized in embarrassment, Old Jack rubbed his head and muttered: "It's unimaginable, such a beautiful woman can also beat people?" But...... It's also my pleasure. It doesn't matter, ma'am, as long as you are pleased, you can always shine on my head in the future. ”

Zhao Xiangzhu found a ball of cotton silk, wiped the butter off Cai Jiheng's face, and counted it: "You said you, why can't you grow up?" A 24-year-old person is still like a child, even if he is playing, he should have a sense of proportion, is there such a trouble? Look at your face, it's like you just got out of the oil pot, if your brother is here, he will have to beat you up when he sees you like this! ”

Cai Jiheng smiled: "Old Jack is already merciful, and he once planned to paint my face." ”

Old Jack angrily revealed: "That's what you provoked me first, you crocodile is so bad, the last time I slept in the dormitory, you sneaked in and smeared a panacea on my eyelids......"

Zhao Xiangzhu couldn't help laughing.

After saying goodbye to Shen Xingyun and Old Jack, Zhao Xiangzhu and Cai Jiheng walked out of the machine repair workshop, and the two walked along the path next to the apron and chatted.

Cai Jiheng explained: "I am friends with Old Jack, and we often joke together, just now I went to say goodbye to him, Old Jack was a little sad, I just wanted to joke with him, liven up the atmosphere, who knows that you misunderstood." Sister, I haven't found out before, you are a person who dares to speak and do, fortunately you don't have much strength, otherwise Old Jack would be unlucky. ”

Zhao Xiangzhu smiled: "Don't think that your sister is a female devil, in fact, it is the first time I have done it, and I forgot everything in a hurry, and it seems that I will have to change my temper in the future." ”

"I don't think there is a need to change it, a woman with a character has a special charm, as long as you don't hit my brother on the head with a chair." Cai Jiheng teased.

"Stinky boy, don't tell your brother about this, it hurts my image, do you hear?"

"Don't say it, resolutely don't say it! I know, it's important that you behave ladylike in front of my brother. My brother was too conservative, huh, about the same as my dad, a nineteenth-century man. ”

"Shut up! Don't speak ill of your brother, he is the most wonderful man I have ever seen in my life, I have grown up so big, I have only done one correct thing, and that is to marry your brother. Of course, you're not a bad stinky boy, the only drawback is that you haven't grown up yet, and compared to your brother, you still lack a little maturity and stability. Zhao Xiangzhu counted unceremoniously.

The two were idle, only to see Shen Xingyun riding a bicycle to catch up.

Zhao Xiangzhu joked: "Xingyun, are you looking for me, or are you looking for him?" ”

Shen Xingyun stopped the car and said with a smile: "Sister, I'm here to inform Brother Cai of something, just now Colonel Robert told me that after dinner today, the colonel will gather some air ground staff to hold a farewell reception in the club to serve Captain Cai Jiheng." ”

Cai Jiheng never liked to socialize, and rarely participated in this kind of party, so he refused: "It's better to be exempt, our squadron often transfers, maybe it will fly over one day, and there will be a chance to meet in the future." Besides, I've promised to drink with Old Jack tonight. ”

Shen Xingyun begged: "Let's go, don't live up to everyone's kindness, Colonel Robert never takes the initiative to socialize with people, he always distances himself from everyone." This time, he took the initiative to hold a drinking party for you, which shows that he values you very much. Brother Cai, let's go, please! Don't let everyone be disappointed, okay? ”

Cai Jiheng didn't buy it: "Xiao Shen, you go and tell the colonel, I, Cai Jiheng, have accepted his kindness." Everyone is very busy, there are combat missions every day, don't delay everyone's rest for me alone. In my opinion, tonight's event should be cancelled. ”

At this time, Zhao Xiangzhu spoke: "Jiheng, why don't you understand any human feelings?" People are holding events for you because people like you, how can you be indifferent? Jiheng, a person can't always act by his own nature, which is a manifestation of immaturity. Nebula, you go and tell the colonel that we will be on time in the evening. Oh, by the way, is there any dress code for tonight? ”

Shen Xingyun replied: "The colonel said that men wear military uniforms and women wear skirts. Okay, you talk, I'll reply to the colonel right away, see you in the evening! ”

Zhao Xiangzhu looked at Shen Xingyun's back and said thoughtfully: "Jiheng, this girl likes you, do you know?" ”

"Sister, can we stop talking about this?" Cai Jiheng said bluntly.

"What's the matter, why are you like a hedgehog, with thorns erected at every turn? Was it your former girlfriend who irritated you? Or is there something wrong with you? Jiheng, I just want to ask you, you have to tell me the truth, do you have feelings for this girl? ”

"There are feelings, good people, and good tempers. But...... So what? There's a war going on right now. Sister, let me tell you a statistic, when the 26th year of the Republic of China War first broke out, there were hundreds of pilots in the Chinese Air Force, and now less than one-tenth of them have survived. Far from it, let's just say that more than half of the pilots who have been trained before and after me have been killed in less than four years. I survived, not because I was better than others, but because I was lucky. But you know, you can't always have good luck......"

Zhao Xiangzhu suddenly changed color and said: "Don't say it, never say that word......"

"Okay, don't say it! Sister, in fact, I mean, a normal man will desire a woman, this desire is very simple, especially in a state of war, the physical needs are often greater than the emotional needs, in the case of life is precarious, who will think about the future? But women probably don't think so, they have been arranging the second half of their lives since the beginning of their relationship, and their thinking is quite thorough, and their purpose is relatively clear. It's like a woman's favorite jewelry, renting it and owning it forever are two different things, and there's no woman who doesn't want to own it forever. But the problem now is that for women, most of us pilots are rented jewelry, which can be lost at any time, and this is the result that no one wants. So, to avoid this frustrating outcome, it's better to make yourself first. Cai Jiheng talked eloquently.

Zhao Xiangzhu retorted angrily: "It's a complete fallacy, you don't understand women at all, when I was in love with your brother, he also had this logic, what do you want to delay me, if you really have this heart, wait until the end of the war." At that time I was so angry that my heart said that this is pure nonsense, who knows when the war will end? Is it because of the war that we don't fall in love, but it's just a matter of time? The key is whether you love each other or not, if you really love each other, then good, I won't leave tonight, even if you die tomorrow, I will give myself to you. In my opinion, there is no responsibility between men and women, and the calling of the heart is more important than anything else. ”

Cai Jiheng was silent.

Zhao Xiangzhu poked his head with his index finger: "Speak, why are you pretending to be dumb, aren't you usually quite able to speak?" ”

"Sister, you don't seem to be normal, what the hell are you doing? I'm not in a hurry, why are you in a hurry? I'll go back to Hengyang tomorrow, even if I like Shen Xingyun, it's too late, it takes time to fall in love, but we don't know when we'll be able to meet, let's talk about it later. ”

"What do you mean I'm not normal? I think you ...... beat" Zhao Xiangzhu punched him the back, "I'm your sister, I like you, I feel sorry for you, isn't this okay?" To tell you the truth, just because you are a pilot, because you are more dangerous than the average soldier, you will die at any time...... I just hope that you have a good woman, I want you to enjoy all the feelings that women bring to you, women's love, women's beauty, women's gentleness...... You and your brother are my dearest relatives, I love you, and it is precisely because your lives are in danger at any time that I hope that when you are alive, you can enjoy the best things in the world, even if one day, you have to leave, I Zhao Xiangzhu has no regrets...... I'm willing to do anything for you! The more Zhao Xiangzhu spoke, the more sad she became, and she couldn't help crying. This is what she said in her heart, since the day she married Cai Jigang, she has been in worry and fear all the time, she regards Cai Jiheng as her own brother, and her husband is equally important. Zhao Xiangzhu couldn't imagine that if one day, their lives were destroyed by war, she really didn't know if she would have the courage to live.

Cai Jiheng also saw Zhao Xiangzhu's true feelings for the first time, he was moved, Zhao Xiangzhu's care for him over the years is more delicate and thoughtful than his two sisters, and he cherishes this feeling. Cai Jiheng gently hugged Zhao Xiangzhu, patted her on the back, and comforted her gently: "Sister, don't worry, I'll be fine, your brother has beaten others in the sky, how can you easily let people beat them down?" ”

Zhao Xiangzhu wiped his tears and said: "Jiheng, promise my sister, be kind to yourself, don't wronged yourself, don't care about other people's opinions, live as happy as you want, and talk to my sister if you don't have enough money to spend." ”

"Sister, I'm already an adult, and I'm not a child, don't nag it, okay? Let's hurry back and get ready, isn't there still an event in the evening? It's all your fault, who made you agree easily? I don't like this kind of socializing at all. Cai Jiheng returned to his true colors and began to count Zhao Xiangzhu.

After dinner, Cai Jiheng and Zhao Xiangzhu walked into the club's bar, and Cai Jiheng found that it had been rearranged, and the usual tables were arranged into a long table, covered with snow-white tablecloths, and placed with flowers and some plates with french fries and fried onion rings. The piano had also been moved to the middle of the hall, and all the chairs they had used to sit on had been put away, and the guests all stood there with their glasses in hand.

Zhao Xiangzhu sighed with emotion: "This reminds me of all kinds of drinking parties, cold food parties, and dance parties in Chongqing, which are very popular in the officialdom now." Jiheng, you don't know how bad I feel, I often go back and forth between two worlds, on the front line, I see the malnourished faces of the soldiers, hear the miserable wails of the wounded, the decomposing corpses on the battlefield, the displaced and dying refugees, hunger, poverty, blood and death everywhere...... But as soon as I returned to Chongqing, I entered another world, no matter how bad the situation on the battlefield in front of me was, those balls and drinking parties were still held, each more luxurious and pompous, the officials were still dressed in straight suits, and the wives and ladies were still dressed in jewelry. I was even more surprised by the fact that there was Hungarian foie gras, snail gratin, Dutch cheese on the table...... You know, Europe is also under fire now, where did these things come from? Was it shipped via the 'Hump Route'? You really have to admire the great power of these officials, how precious every inch of space in the cabin of those transport planes must be, and they can find and transport these luxury goods...... Jiheng, I never dared to say these words to anyone, not even your brother. I often wonder if the soldiers on the front line who fought bloodily knew about these things, would they still be able to hold on? Are you still willing to shed blood and sacrifice to defend this country? ”

Cai Jiheng nodded frequently to acquaintances, and whispered: "Sister, you and my brother are really a natural pair, both like Fan Zhongyan, living in the temple is high, worrying about its people, being far away from the rivers and lakes, worrying about its monarch, worrying about it, worrying about it, and worrying about retreating." But when will it be? ”

"You don't play tricks with me, you are such a rare person, you don't seem to care about anything, don't you think that a normal society needs fairness and justice?"

"Yes, yes, I have no objection to this, I also like fairness and justice, but there is nothing we can do, whether you are disgusted or angry about this bad real life, we are helpless. Besides, this kind of thing is not only in China? Think about it, London has been blown up to that ghost, and Churchill doesn't smoke cigars and eat steaks in the bullet shelter in Downing Street? The citizens of Leningrad were hungry with green eyes and hunted for rats everywhere, and Mr. Stalin's table was still full of vodka and black caviar. and the Free French de Gaulle, who was dead, and he still enjoyed a generous special offer in London. Therefore, it is useless to complain, if you are not used to this society, find a way to change it, otherwise you will have to endure it. Cai Jiheng said casually.

Zhao Xiangzhu made an exaggerated expression: "Yo, you stinky boy, when did you become thoughtful?" Like a philosopher, you really have stiffened your wings and enlightened your sister? ”

Old Jack rushed over with a glass of wine: "Crocodile, I was about to run away just now, I should have paid for the drink tonight, let's talk about it in advance, right?" So I went to the bar and said, God, how did this crocodile kid invite so many people? Are they all fucking...... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said foul language in front of ladies...... I mean, am I going to pay the bills? I was so scared that even if I counted my year's salary and overseas allowances, I couldn't afford to invite so many people to drink. Then I was told that the entire bill for today was paid by Colonel Robert, and I was relieved, fuck, someone paid the bill anyway, why should I run away? ”

Cai Jiheng criticized with some hatred: "Rattlesnake, you are good everywhere, you just love to settle small accounts, look at what scares you, as for it?" ”

Old Jack patiently explained, "I can't say that, I'm really not a miser. When I was single, I was also a bold gentleman and never saved money. But didn't I get married in a moment's confusion? And so began a life of suffering, and the source of this suffering was my wife, and now she writes me a letter every week, and each time she says, dear Jack, our house needs to be roofed, and it takes a lot of money, and for the sake of our family, you should quit drinking, and save every penny, and I am 100% convinced that my husband Jack is a man with a great sense of responsibility...... Crocodile, listen, is this a compliment or a threat? Do I have to quit drinking just because of a broken roof? Isn't it killing me! Crocodile, you can imagine that one day I came back to Seattle empty-handed, and as soon as I saw my wife, I said, "Honey, I'm so sorry, my money is all for the guys to drink." How do you guess she's going to punish me? Tell you that she'll unceremoniously hang me on a branch......"

Zhao Xiangzhu was amused and laughed: "Jack, you are so pitiful, we all sympathize with you." ”

Old Jack made a pitiful look: "No way, my wife's weight is heavyweight, and sometimes there are some violent tendencies, and I am not an opponent at all, so it is unwise for me to resist anything." A wise man once said that life is a process of constant compromise......"

Cai Jiheng touched the back of Old Jack's head pityingly: "I said rattlesnake, is your head okay?" Don't you talk too much because your head collided with a heavy object? ”

"Crocodile, don't say it, after this blow, my head has become smarter, which is based on science, and it is said that many geniuses have appeared in this way."

Cai Jiheng saw Ding Zhentian talking to several Chinese pilots, so he waved to him and said hello. By this time the hall was already full of people, the guests had almost arrived, the men had changed into straight military uniforms, and the Chinese and female nurses of the Red Cross were wearing brightly colored dresses. Cai Jiheng noticed that Shen Xingyun walked in from outside wearing a white dress, the two looked at each other, Shen Xingyun smiled and nodded to him.

Ding Zhentian came over and greeted Cai Jiheng: "Crocodile, will you leave tomorrow?" ”

"Tomorrow morning by transport. How's that, pirate, do you have anything you want me to bring to my old classmate over there? ”

"Hello old classmates, I am still continuing to write letters to the Aviation Committee, asking for a transfer to the Sino-American mixed mission, and I hope they will approve it. Crocodile, you'll leave tomorrow, I don't have anything to send you, so I'll play a tune to see you off. Ding Zhentian exaggeratedly moved his ten fingers, as if he was eager to try.

Cai Jiheng said with a smile: "I heard that you can play the piano, but I have never heard of it, and today I must prove that I was not bragging before." ”

"When I was in aviation school, I really wanted to show my hand, but where can I find a piano? To tell you the truth, on my fifth birthday, my father gave me a grand piano, milky white, German Hoffmann. I've been practicing piano ever since. However, I haven't touched the piano much since I went to college, so I have to familiarize myself with it, and you don't have to laugh if you don't play well. ”

Cai Jiheng made an inviting gesture: "Please, don't be polite, we people are so confused, and we can't hear any skills, as long as we are stronger than the level of playing cotton, we can bear it." ”

Ding Zhentian sat in front of the piano, casually played a series of arpeggios on the keyboard with his fingers, the hall immediately fell silent, Ding Zhentian slammed his ten fingers on the keyboard, the piano immediately emitted a majestic chord, and he played Chopin's "Army Polonaise Dance" passionately.

This is a triumphant march, and its style and meaning are very much in line with the state of war at this time.

Zhao Xiangzhu commented in a low voice: "He plays well, as if he has been strictly trained, and his sense of musicality is also very good." However, his fingering was a little rusty, and there were one or two wrong notes, which is rare to play like this if he hadn't touched the piano for a long time. ”

Cai Jiheng said: "This piece is full of medieval chivalry, in Chopin's eyes, the most elite branch of the army is the cavalry, the most heroic image is the ancient Polish knights, they defeated the Crusader knights in the early fifteenth century, since then the fame, this sense of knightly honor actually maintained for 500 years, until 1939, the Polish knights encountered the German tanks ended." [1]

”

Zhao Xiangzhu stabbed him dissatisfiedly: "You always think differently from others, listening to Chopin's music, but commenting on other people's cavalry meanly, this is a kind of heroic spirit, although defeated, you still glorious, do you understand?" ”

"Yes, it's very heroic, but no matter how heroic you are, you can't stab a tank with a saber or spear, right? If you want to complain, you can blame the cavalry commander, and when he gave the order to attack, a very poetic imagination must have appeared in his mind, the military band played "Army Polonaise", and in the majestic march, the knights in armor and spears in their hands launched a sea of attacks on the enemy's tanks. ”

"Stinky boy, if I don't tell you, you'll say weird things!"

Ding Zhentian's performance ended, and the hall burst into warm applause, and Colonel Robert began to speak: "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening! Today is a day to remember, there is a wonderful crocodile that is finally swimming back to its nest......"

There was a burst of laughter in the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this crocodile has not been with us for long, but it has made a great impression on everyone. To be honest, the first time I saw the crocodile, he didn't catch my attention, the only thing that interested me was the 'Stern' *** on his back, because I had never seen a fighter pilot carry *** on his back. I remember that he explained it like this at the time: Sir, if one day I make a forced landing or parachute and fall in an enemy-occupied area, this *** will come in handy, it can make up for the lack of pistol firepower. Frankly, I don't agree with him, in the philosophy of our American servicemen, once a pilot makes a forced landing or parachutes, in a sense, he has completed his mission, and then it is time to withdraw from the battle, even if he is captured by the enemy, it is by no means a shame. But the crocodile told me: Sir, my philosophy is that as long as I live, I will continue to fight! Ladies and gentlemen, I must admit that his words made me think for a long time, and I have no intention of commenting on the correctness of this concept, I just want to tell you that as a soldier, Captain Cai Jiheng has won my respect just by virtue of this sentence. Ladies and gentlemen, most of you have seen the performance of this crocodile in battle, so I will not waste your time. The last thing I want to say is that I like crocodiles and am willing to be brothers who fight side by side with him, and if he wants, the doors of the 23rd Brigade will always be open to him. Thank you! ”

In the warm applause, Colonel Robert came over and hugged Cai Jiheng.

Ding Zhentian, who temporarily assumed the role of cheesemaster tonight, announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, I will reveal to you a secret, Colonel Robert is not only an excellent pilot, he is also a tenor, which he has never revealed. Tonight he took the initiative to ask to sing a "Matador Song" for everyone, everyone is welcome! ”

To the applause of the crowd, Colonel Robert bowed to everyone very elegantly: "Ladies and gentlemen, before I sing, there is a small question, are there any people here who know French?" Oh no, that's easy to do. I'm going to sing this song in native French. ”

People burst into laughter.

Colonel Robert sang the "Matador's Song" to piano accompaniment.

Zhao Xiangzhu listened and said in surprise: "Yo, this colonel is really trained in vocal music, and he is more professional. Jiheng, I found that the pilots are really hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and there are not so many talents in any military branch. ”

Cai Jiheng said: "I heard from American pilots that Colonel Robert came from a military family, and his father was a retired general who graduated from West Point Military Academy in his early years. ”

As Colonel Robert sings, the atmosphere in the hall grows more and more enthusiastic, and the guests all stamped their feet to the beat to join the chorus:

Prepare for the Bullfight!

Bullfighter, Bullfighter! In the valiant battle you shall remember,

There are a pair of black eyes full of love,

Waiting for you, waiting for you!

At the end of the song, Old Jack did not hold back, his voice was a little broken, but the treble was not ambiguous, and he extended the end note for a few more seconds, and added some strange ornamentation, which looked like a cadenza.

This show-showmanship drew a wave of laughter and mockery.

Then Ding Zhentian announced loudly: "Everyone, I would like to announce to you an astonishing news, just now, a beautiful girl said to me, pirate, I want to sing a song for someone, can you accompany me?" I replied, of course, but I would love to know who this lucky man is, can you tell me? The girl said that he knew ...... himself."

At this point, Colonel Robert, showing a rare sense of humor, interjected: "I know, too, it seems to be some kind of reptile." ”

The guests burst into laughter and the atmosphere was warm.

Ding Zhentian continued: "Okay, don't sell Guanzi, this girl is Miss Shen Xingyun, who everyone is familiar with, and the song she wants to sing is "Mei Niang Song", and the Chinese officers here are familiar with this song. As for the U.S. allies, they don't necessarily know, but music knows no borders, and U.S. allies should like it too. Miss Shen ...... below."

Shen Xingyun, who was wearing a white dress, appeared in applause.

Ding Zhentian played the prelude on the piano, and the hall immediately fell silent.

Shen Xingyun's soulful singing voice sounded:

Brother, don't forget me,

I am your dear Mei Niang,

Thou hast sat at the window of our house,

Chewing on the bright red betel nut......

Cai Jiheng and Zhao Xiangzhu are familiar with this song, which is an episode made by Nie Er in 1935 for Tian Han's drama "Song of Rejuvenation", the story background of the drama is the "January 28 Incident" in 1932, some patriotic young overseas Chinese from Nanyang returned to China to participate in the Anti-Japanese War. After the protagonist Gao Weihan was injured in the war, his lover Mei Niang rushed back to his motherland from Nanyang alone despite the opposition of his parents, and when she saw her sweetheart unconscious and lost her memory due to injury, she couldn't suppress the pain in her heart and sang this song. As soon as the drama "Song of Rejuvenation" was performed, it immediately caused a sensation, and its interlude "Mei Niang Song" was also widely circulated in China and overseas Chinese.

Cai Jiheng has heard "Mei Niang Song" sung by Wang Renmei and others many times, but it has not attracted his attention. He thinks that those popular singers have problems with the handling of this song, and the most popular singing method of some female singers at that time is to handle the song in a loud and angry manner, and it is very coquettish to listen to it. Those popular songs that appeared before the Anti-Japanese War, such as "Peach Blossom River is a Nest of Beauty", "He Rijun Comes Again", etc., all made Cai Jiheng and other hot-blooded young people feel disgusted, he believes that the song itself is not political, if it is sung in a peaceful and prosperous era, it doesn't matter, but in the context of strong enemy pressure and national peril, these songs show a sound of the death of the country, which reminds people of the historical tragedy of "singing ** flowers across the river".

Shen Xingyun's singing voice firmly grasped Cai Jiheng from the beginning, and the call of "brother" affectionately and concisely expressed Mei Niang's heart full of pain and love when she saw her unconscious lover. Shen Xingyun handled this lyric with deep affection and tenderness.

Mei Niang tried to recall the scenes of their life in Nanyang and evoke the memory of her lover......

I used to play the guitar,

Sing slowly with you,

When we were in the far South Seas.

Brother, don't forget me,

I am your dear Mei Niang,

Thou hast sat on the banks of the Red River,

Where our fathers shed their blood,

Send our warriors home......

The crying singing touched a soft area in Cai Jiheng's heart. Life always inadvertently leaves many traces, sad, happy, touching and unforgettable, but no matter what kind of feelings, it will disturb people for a long time. In the days of losing love, he tried his best to forget the pain caused by the past, but those people and things that he thought he could forget could not forget......

What is the situation in the world? It is said that it took 500 years to look back in exchange for the rubbing shoulders of this life. The so-called fate of three lives means that all encounters are destined in the past life, so that there is no love in this life.

He remembered that in Buddhist legends, Ananda, a disciple of the Buddha, met a beautiful girl before becoming a monk. The Buddha asked him, "How much do you like that woman?" Ananda replied, "May it be incarnated as a bluestone bridge, and be blown by the wind for five hundred years, the sun for five hundred years, and the rain for five hundred years, and only ask the girl to walk over the bridge." ”

Cai Jiheng wanted to know, after Ananda converted to Buddhism, did he still remember the original vow? When the beautiful girl becomes an old woman with vicissitudes of life, will he still be in love? He may be able to turn her into a stone bridge and endure the ups and downs of 1,500 years, but if he and that woman have a marriage, can he maintain the ordinary life of the day and night?

How many red men and green women who are as affectionate as they are finally strangers; How many earthly oaths have become flying in the wind? The lover monk Sumanshu[2]

, escaped into Buddhism several times in his life, but he never could cut off his love. When he left, he left only eight words: everything is affectionate, and there is no hindrance. But did he really have an epiphany and let go?

When he heard the news of Tan Chaimeng's death, Cai Jiheng was full of heart and gall, and he was so painful that he couldn't extricate himself, and he once had the idea of becoming a monk. In the Panlong Temple on the east bank of Dianchi Lake, an abbot thought that Cai Jiheng had some Buddha fate, so he deliberately ignited it.

The abbot said: "The flowers bloom with affection, and the flowers fall unintentionally." Those who come are dependent on origination, and those who go are dependent on extinction. In the three thousand worlds, there will be a friction every day, and there will be a reunion every day, and there is no need to deliberate in meditation. If the donor has understanding, he may have an epiphany at the moment of looking back. Any attachment is a trouble, and only by letting go can we be at ease. ”

Yes, of course it's good to let go, but Cai Jiheng can't let go, he can't cut off the relationship, he can't forget his lost lover, and he can't let go of his responsibility to the country. When the mountains and rivers are broken and the nation is in danger, how can he let go of everything, escape into the empty door, face the ancient Buddha of the green lantern every day, and live the days of morning bells and dusk drums?

The past has passed, and what should come will come sooner or later, in the rolling red dust, only go with the flow, and everything is subject to the call of the heart.

I can't come with you,

I'm so melancholy.

……

I disobeyed my father and mother for you,

Leaving the distant South Seas,

I am ready with my tears,

Brush up your wounds......

There was clearly a deep and meaningful call in Shen Xingyun's singing, "He knows ...... himself" Of course Cai Jiheng knows that he can understand, not only him, but everyone present can understand. This is what makes Shen Xingyun different, she dares to express her love in public, completely ignoring the interference of the world.

Zhao Xiangzhu was moved by the singing, she said to Cai Jiheng: "It's so good to sing, this is a song that really flows from the bottom of my heart, what are you waiting for?" ”

Cai Jiheng walked forward step by step, there was silence in the hall, and everyone held their breath to see what kind of miracle would happen.

Shen Xingyun stood there quietly, staring at him affectionately, his eyes full of anticipation......

At this time, Ding Zhentian suddenly popped up the theme of "Ode to Joy" on the keyboard, and the guests were stunned for a moment, but immediately understood everything, and everyone sang "Ode to Joy" with the beat:

Goddess of joy, holy and beautiful,

Brilliant light shines on the earth.

Our hearts are full of passion,

Come to your temple.

……

Cai Jiheng walked up to Shen Xingyun in the glorious chorus, and the two opened their arms almost at the same time and hugged each other......

Your power can empower people

Erase all traces,

Underneath your radiance,

People are united as brothers......

[1]

On September 19, 1939, the Polish 18th Cavalry Regiment engaged in an encounter with Nazi German tank groups near Volka Wiglois.

[2]

Su Manshu (1884~1918) was a modern writer, poet and translator. Su Manshu became a monk in his teens, but was trapped by love several times in his life. He was proficient in poetry and painting, and was proficient in Japanese, English, Sanskrit and other languages, and made achievements in many fields such as poetry and novels. As an important member of the reformist literary group Nanshe, Su Manshu contributed articles to publications such as "Minbao" and "New Youth", and his poetic style was unique and had a great influence at that time.