Ruthless may not be a true husband, Ye Ting comforts the martyrs.

On the dirt road from Dongtangchi to Shou County more than 100 miles in the northern Anhui region, there are a number of people galloping. The intermittent drizzle for several days made the dirt road neither muddy nor dry, and the swift military horses galloped on the dirt road without raising the dust and smoke, and the horsemen wore gray military uniforms, looking from a distance, like silhouettes flowing rapidly under the gray sky.

A solemn atmosphere, solemn horseback riders.

Galloping in front of and behind the horse team was Ye Ting's escort, in the middle of a tall and sturdy black mount was Ye Ting in a general's uniform, and Ye Ting was accompanied by Zhang Yunyi, chief of staff of the New Fourth Army and commander of the third detachment, followed closely by Ye Ting's adjutant and secretary.

Shou County, where Ye Ting and his entourage went, is not only famous for the famous water conservancy project "Shaobei" in the Huaihe River Basin in ancient China built by Sun Shuao, the prime minister of Chu in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the "Bao'en Temple" built by Master Xuanzang during the Tang Zhenguan period, but also made the people proud of Cao Yuan, a hero of the Northern Expedition in recent years. Cao Yuan, who was the commander of the first battalion of Ye Ting's Independent Regiment, shouted "Long live the revolutionary army" and splashed his blood on the head of Wuchang City, and the selfless and fearless spirit of resolutely leaving Ye Ting a "desperate" note that "the revolution has advanced without retreating" and was willing to sacrifice his precious life, has been widely praised in the martyrs' hometowns.

Ye Ting traveled more than 100 miles from Dongtangchi, the headquarters of the Jiangbei Guerrilla Force of the New Fourth Army, to Shou County, deliberately to visit the family of the martyr Cao Yuan.

So, isn't Ye Ting, who is the commander of the New Fourth Army, in Yansi Town, Shexian County, south of the Yangtze River, where the military headquarters is located? How did you get to the East Pond in the Chaohu Lake area north of the Yangtze River?

The reason is that after Ye Ting sent Zhou Enlai away, in addition to concentrating on convening the second staff work conference of the New Fourth Army for a period of time, he established and perfected the staff organization in order to adapt to large-scale regularized operations in the future, and clearly defined the staff tasks in modern warfare. He personally wrote the outline and finally wrote a speech entitled "The Nature, Characteristics, and Command of Modern Warfare," which was published in the magazine "Resisting the Enemy," which became one of Ye Ting's major military treatises, and played a pioneering role in the regularization of the New Fourth Army. After that, he immediately followed Zhou Enlai's entrustment, in accordance with the instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman Mao, despite difficulties and dangers, broke through the blockade line of the Japanese invaders, crossed the Yangtze River to the north, and opened up the anti-Japanese revolutionary base in eastern Anhui. In eastern Anhui, Ye Ting led Zhang Yunyi and Deng Zihui, deputy director of the Political Department of the New Fourth Army, to expand the fourth detachment into two detachments, namely the fourth detachment with Xu Haidong as commander and the fifth detachment with Luo Binghui as deputy commander.

Then, Ye Ting decided to go to northern Anhui with Zhang Yunyi to meet Liao Lei, commander-in-chief of the 21st Kuomintang Group Army and chairman of Anhui Province, to carry out some united front liaison work.

Ye Ting was on this trip and staged a majestic and majestic scene of righteousness.

It was Ye Ting's light cavalry detachment that arrived at the east gate of Lu'an County, and the Kuomintang garrison in the county actually unsheathed their knives and loaded their guns to stop Ye Ting's advance.

Originally, Ye Ting's trip had already notified Liao Lei's headquarters, and Liao Lei also ordered Ye Ting to notify the troops passing along the way. However, why did the garrison of a county town dare to unscrupulously threaten Ye Ting?

Ye Ting knew that through his trip to Jiangbei in the past month or two, he had been exposed to the fact that the Kuomintang troops had constantly created friction with the New Fourth Army, and that their opposition to the Communist Party had become more and more arrogant. Its purpose is to squeeze the New Fourth Army out of the territory under the jurisdiction of the Kuomintang troops. Isn't this another civil war?

"Treachery!" Therefore, Ye Ting was very angry at the perverse actions of the Kuomintang.

Unexpectedly, the Kuomintang garrison in Lu'an County today is also so bold!

"Commander, the garrison of the city is loaded with guns and ammunition, and they arrogantly prohibit us from entering the city!" The spearhead squad who served as the front to open the way turned back and reported to Ye Ting.

"What do they want us to do?" Ye Ting suddenly heard this, two thick eyebrows and sharp swords were inserted into his sideburns, his eyes were fierce, the green tendons on his forehead jumped straight, and he asked loudly.

"They want us to go around the city."

"What if we don't take a detour?"

"They said to answer with bullets."

"!" Ye Ting scolded angrily, if it weren't for Ye Ting's feeling that the other party was bullying too much, he would never scold.

"Commander, the strong dragon doesn't suppress the head snake, we don't have to control the anger with these scoundrels, let's go around and go around, wait until we see Liao Lei, and then protest to him!" Ye Ting's adjutant was afraid that Ye Ting's safety would be threatened, so he hurriedly persuaded him.

Ye Ting turned over and dismounted, and waved his hand: "Everyone dismount, I'll go in front, you follow me, I want to see if this county can pass!" His strong voice was like a tiger roaring and a dragon roaring, swallowing mountains and rivers.

Saying that, Ye Ting handed over the mount to the orderly, straightened the military hat, straightened the purple cowhide armed belt around his waist, walked with vigorous steps, held his head high, and walked in the front of the team.

The Kuomintang troops defending the city were lying on their stomachs in the trenches outside the city and the arrow stacks at the head of the city, shouting hoarsely: "Stop, we will shoot if you go any further," and at the same time pulling the bolt of the gun as if they were about to shoot.

However, no matter how fierce the Kuomintang troops defending the city were, Ye Ting's calm appearance was like no matter how much he went up the knife mountain and down to the sea of fire, his face did not change color and his heart did not beat, as if he had entered a no-man's land, and continued to walk forward on foot.

When the commander of the Kuomintang troops defending the city saw that Ye Ting, the commander of the New Fourth Army who was a lieutenant general, he was indeed a "famous general of the Northern Expedition", and hurriedly warned the troops not to shoot, and whoever dared to shoot would destroy the nine clans, so frightened that the soldiers hurriedly collected the guns they were ready to shoot.

After Ye Ting entered the city majestically, the commander of the Kuomintang garrison proposed to Ye Ting's adjutant to "meet Commander Ye", Ye Ting heard and told the adjutant: "Just say that I am in military affairs and have no time to meet him, but I want to solemnly tell him that now it is the cooperation of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to jointly resist Japan, and their behavior of sabotaging the united front will be punished by the military!" ”

"Yes, yes. Please be sure to give Commander Ye good words, adults don't care about villains, and you must keep in mind the instructions to Commander Ye from humble positions. The commander of the city guard was frightened like a rice peck when he heard the words of Adjutant Ye Ting, nodded his head incessantly, and a cold sweat broke out on his head.

After meeting with Liao Lei, he returned to Dongtangchi, the guerrilla headquarters of the New Fourth Army in Jiangbei, and immediately told the adjutant that they would immediately go to Shou County to visit the relatives of the martyr Cao Yuan.

"Commander, do you want to rest for a day or two?" Ye Ting's adjutant knew that Ye Ting had been riding horses for days and was quite tired, so he suggested that he rest for two days before going to Shou County.

"No, this is something I've been thinking about for a long time, don't delay any longer." Although Ye Ting replied softly, his words showed his impatience.

Cao Yuan, who was the commander of the first battalion of Ye Ting's Independent Regiment, was a top student of the first phase of the Huangpu Military Academy, a young outstanding commander trained by our party, and one of Ye Ting's most important "love generals." Cao Yuan fought to be a brave team when he conquered Wuchang City, and finally died heroically at the head of Wuchang City, which made Ye Ting sad and regretful.

At the beginning of last year, Ye Ting suddenly received a letter from Caojiagang Village, Shou County, Anhui Province, and when he opened it, he didn't expect that the sender was the son of Cao Yuan, who died heroically in Wuchang City 12 years ago, and Cao Yunping, the orphan of a 14-year-old martyr.

"When Cao Yuan died, Yunping was less than two years old, and he grew into a fourteen-year-old young man in a flash, the sky has eyes, and there are successors to the martyrs!" Ye Ting's hand holding the letter trembled slightly, and his heart was very excited.

Cao Yunping's letter was mainly to beg Uncle Ye Ting to help him solve the problem of school expenses.

After Ye Ting read it, he immediately waved his pen and wrote a neatly written and affectionate reply letter on the official paper printed with the "Note for the Headquarters of the Fourth Army of the Army's New Formation":

Yunping Nephew:

I am very pleased that I have received my letter. My father was an exemplary revolutionary soldier and my best comrade, who unfortunately died in the siege of Wuchang. Early in the night, it is often zero runny. For ten years I have been in exile, and I have searched for his descendants but have not found them. I am fortunate to read Er's letter today, and it is like seeing my old friend! You need me to help you with your education, and of course I should do my best to help. Please let me know your plan to study, how much you need each year, and the exact address of the remittance, and I will do it myself. The communications office of our army is the communications office of the New Fourth Army at No. 4 Mingde Village, Nanchang Shuyuan Street, and I hope to receive a reply from you immediately.

Wait for this

Near An

Members

February 23

After Ye Ting finished writing, he asked the secretary to send the letter away quickly, and told him to always pay attention to the letter from Caojiagang Village, Shou County, Anhui Province.

However, when Cao Yunping was pleased to receive the letter written to him by Ye Ting, he also received a reply letter from Zhou Enlai, telling Cao Yunping that many of the children of martyrs were studying in Yan'an, and if he also wanted to go to Yan'an, ask him to find the Communist Party organization in Shou County, they would issue him with an identity certificate and solve the problem of going to Yan'an.

Cao Yunping discussed with his mother and grandfather and decided to go to Yan'an to study. Considering that Yunping was still young, his mother and grandfather asked Yunping's cousin Cao Yunqing to go to Yan'an with the consent of the local party organization.

On the way to Yan'an, Yunping and Yunqing made a special detour to Nanchang to visit Ye Ting, but they did not meet because Ye Ting had gone to southern Anhui to reorganize the New Fourth Army.

Later, Ye Ting learned that Cao Yunping had gone to Yan'an to study, and when Xiang Ying went to Yan'an to attend the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, he specially entrusted him to visit Yunping and gave Yunping dozens of yuan as pocket money.

People have an emergency. It is estimated that the sun only rises two bamboo poles high, and Ye Ting and his party arrived at Caojiagang Village in Shou County. The people at the head of the village heard that it was General Ye Ting, the commander of the New Fourth Army, who had come to visit Cao Yuan's father and wife, and they were busy running to lead the way.

It's an ordinary rural compound. The main houses, which sit north and face south, are made of adobe, flanked by wings for stacking firewood, grass and farm tools, and the entrance is surrounded by low adobe walls. There is also a pigsty in the courtyard where a few chickens are foraging. At first glance, it is a hardworking and frugal home.

"Commander Ye, you are in charge of thousands of troops and horses, and you still come to visit us from such a distance, you really don't dare to be it!" Cao Yuan's father heard that General Ye Ting, a famous general of the Northern Expedition, had come to visit, and hurriedly ran out of the door to greet him, stepped forward and grabbed Ye Ting's hand, shaking it again and again, and was so excited that he burst into tears.

Ye Ting held the old man's hand tightly: "Uncle, Cao Yuan is my best comrade, a comrade-in-arms who fought side by side with me, he is an excellent Communist Party member, and a hero of the Northern Expedition. Your old man is very sad for his unfortunate death, and so are our comrades who fought with him. Today, Comrade Zhang Yunyi, chief of staff of the New Fourth Army, and I have come from afar to visit your old man's home! ”

"Thank you, thank you!" Cao Yuan's father hurriedly invited Ye Ting and Zhang Yunyi to the house.

"Where's my sister-in-law?" Ye Ting asked where Cao Yuan's wife was.

"I've gone down to work in the field, and I've already sent someone to call for it." Cao Yuan's father hurriedly explained, and sighed after speaking, "After Cao Yuan's sacrifice, Yunping is small, and my body is poor, but it's hard for her!" ”

While speaking, Cao Yuan's wife entered the house.

When Ye Ting saw this simple, hardworking and filial woman, he hurriedly held her hand: "Sister-in-law, I am Ye Ting, and I was in an independent group with Cao Yuan back then. Originally, I wanted to come and see you, but I never had a chance, and today I finally saw you, are you okay? ”

Cao Yuan's wife wiped her tears with her sleeve and said in a choked voice: "Commander Ye, you are so busy all day, and you are still thinking about visiting us, and you are grateful!" ”

Ye Ting hurriedly held down Cao Yuan's wife's words: "Sister-in-law, Cao Yuan sacrificed for the revolution. During the war years, every step forward of the revolution was paved with the bones of martyrs, and we living people, especially our living leaders, must not forget them! I'm Cao Yuan's comrade-in-arms, come and see my uncle and sister-in-law and your family, shouldn't I? ”

"So, it should, it should." Cao Yuan's wife burst into tears and laughed.

Zhang Yunyi interjected and asked, "Uncle, sister-in-law, is the local party organization taking care of you?" ”

Cao Yuan's father hurriedly replied: "Very good, very good." ”

Ye Ting asked with concern: "Uncle, who else is there in your family?" ”

Cao Yuan's father replied: "Yunping and his cousin Yunqing went to Yan'an not long ago and became the Eighth Route Army, Yunping ...... Brother Yunhe organized an armed rebellion in his early years and joined the Red Army, Cao Yuan's uncle, who was Yunhe's father, was doing anti-Japanese rescue work in his hometown, and I was the only one who did some work at home with Yunping because of his poor health. ”

Ye Ting heard this and praised: "Three generations of your family have participated in the revolution, what a veritable revolutionary family!" ”

Cao Yuan's wife saw that it was not too early, so she hurriedly stood up: "Commander Ye, you sit, I'll cook for you." ”

"No, no, sister-in-law, you can eat a ready-made meal for this meal!" Ye Ting glanced at the adjutant as he spoke, and the adjutant immediately walked into the courtyard and informed the orderlies to cook immediately.

It turned out that wherever Ye Ting's cavalry detachment went, they cooked by themselves, in order to not only gain time, but also prevent accidents, so as to ensure that Ye Ting could not eat.

It didn't take much effort, but a simple meal was ready.

Ye Ting and Zhang Yunyi sat at the same table with Cao Yuan's father and Cao Yuan's wife, talking while eating, like a family, very cordial.

"Uncle, sister-in-law, let's take a group photo." Ye Ting said, asking the adjutant to use his high-end German camera, and he and Zhang Yunyi took a group photo with the three generations of the Cao family.

When Ye Ting and his entourage left Caojiagang Village, the old and young of the Cao family and the villagers of the whole village sent each other with tears in their eyes.

"Uncle, sister-in-law, take care, when the revolution succeeds, I will come to visit you again!" Ye Ting walked out of the village until he walked more than half a mile, then he got on his horse and waved goodbye.

Since then, he has left a good story in the local area that "the famous generals of the Northern Expedition are affectionate and righteous, and they will spare hundreds of miles to comfort the martyrs".