Under the glorious Northern Expedition to Wuchang City,

Blood stains our names.

Fighting alone on Luoxiao Mountain,

Inherited the honor of the martyrs.

Early spring, dawn. With the morning breeze, the melody of the military song of the New Fourth Army came from nowhere.

At this time, there was a man with new white hair on his head, walking outside the red wall of Zhongnanhai. After "***" was crushed, he received an order to go back to work. On his first day on the job, he decided to walk in order to send his eyes full of reverence, gratitude, hope and happiness into the depths of the red wall that hundreds of millions of people yearn for.

The melody of the military song stopped him. He leaned against the trees covered in fresh greenery, listening, listening, and letting the melody of the battle take him to a small city on the edge of the Yi River decades ago.

One

The propaganda team plays in a chapel in a small town. This chapel has only one door, and it is very inconvenient for people to enter and exit when it is full. Some of the fighters used the stage as a passage and ran around. Fourteen-year-old Xiao Zhao accepted the task of picking them up on stage. She felt that the job was very authoritative, so she straightened her back and looked serious.

Jump on the ground and come along. Xiao Zhao stepped sideways and asked sharply, "Where are you going?" ”

This is a seventeen or eighteen-year-old little soldier with a leather belt and a shell gun on his back. He pointed to the audience and said, "We have something to go back to......"

Xiao Zhao looked down, and there were two people behind him. He said, "No, not one, let alone three." ”

"Comrade," said the little soldier anxiously pointing to an older man below, "that's 301, and he wants to stop by the backstage to see their Captain Du and Mafu Lao Zhang." ”

"No one!" Xiao Zhao didn't hear the code name of the little warrior. Even if I hear it clearly, I don't know who this number represents, because she has only been in the army for half a month. "This is our system! The upper backstage should also be wound from the outside. ”

The little warrior still wanted to argue. The older man in the audience spoke. A Sichuan accent: "Xiao Yang, come down." Since people have a system, let's not destroy it. ”

The little soldier glared at Xiao Zhao, turned around and jumped off the stage. The older man took out a small notebook from his jacket pocket, wrote a few words, tore them off and folded them into a strip. He took a small grass-green silk bag from the other soldier's hand, held it up, and said, "Little comrade, please give this to Captain Du." When Xiao Zhao bent down to pick up something, he patted her head and said, "Little ghost, you are very serious in carrying out orders, this is very good!" Just now we didn't understand the situation and unintentionally made a mistake. Let's fix it! With that, he took the lead and squeezed into the crowd in military uniform.

After the opening, Xiao Zhao went to the stove where the water was boiling backstage to find the captain Du Ning. After reading the note, Du Ning opened his small pocket and took out two leather boxes.

Zhang Debiao picked up a load of water and poured it into the pot. Du Ning beckoned him and said, "Hey, look, the boss has brought us loot!" ”

Zhang Debiao leaned over to take a look, and smiled, "What a beautiful Go!" Needless to say, it was the capture of the Japanese Taijun! What about the boss? ”

Du Ning pointed at Xiao Zhao: "She pushed it back." ”

Zhang Debiao asked what was going on, Xiao Zhao told him the reason and asked him: "What, did I do something wrong?" ”

Zhang Debiao said: "That's right. But do you know who he is? ”

"I didn't hear you. It's like a mountain or something. ”

“301？”

"That's the tone."

"Look at you soldier!" Zhang Debiao patted his thigh and said, "You don't know that 301 is the code name of the boss?" ”

"Which boss?"

"Mr. Chen Yi! Our Commander! ”

Xiao Zhao stuck out his tongue and was stunned for a long time. He shook his head again and said, "No, I stopped him, and not only did he not lose his temper, but he also made a review of me!" ”

"That's even better!"

Du Ning smiled and said to Zhang Debiao: "Mr. Chen didn't come today, it is a little good for you, and you will be scolded." ”

Zhang Debiao asked: "Why?" ”

"The organization department transferred you to be the platoon commander, but you don't go, he already knows, and the letter says that he wants to find time to talk to you."

Zhang Debiao hurriedly asked: "Even he knows about my strange words?" ”

"The letter didn't say it."

Zhang Debiao put his flat shoulder across the bucket and sat down listlessly. Pull out the cigarette pouch from your waist and twist it vigorously in the purse.

Two

After a month, the situation became tense. Li Xiannian successfully broke through in the Central Plains; Our representatives in the execution team of the siege of a small group of fugitive landlords in Jinan; Chiang Kai-shek's troops were constantly provoking on the edge of the PLA......

One day, all units received a notice to go to the airport to see off the US and Chiang deputies of the military adjustment enforcement group.

Half of the airport was filled with people waving large flags, small flags, and pennants. It's all the army and the militia. The big and small flags read:

"Armed defense of the liberated areas!"

"Against the Civil War Conspiracy!"

"If no one offends me, I will not offend; If anyone sins against me, I will offend. ”

Two American Jeeps and a grass green Japanese sedan came. Above and below the jeep were the tall, tall American delegates and the short, black and fat Kuomintang representatives. A man and a woman got out of the car, wearing the coarse cloth uniforms of the New Fourth Army.

Slogans roared at the airport. The slogan is the same as what is written on the flag.

Zhang Debiao touched Xiao Zhao with his arm: "Commander Chen is so mighty today!" ”

"Where?"

"Walking side by side with lesbians, with belts and leggings."

Xiao Zhao turned his gaze back to the man, and still couldn't recognize it as Commander Chen for a while. I saw that the man's two thick eyebrows were like swords, and the tips of his eyebrows were raised, and a knot was twisted in the middle. The lips are tightly closed, making the lower lip more prominent. His eyes sparkled awe-inspiringly.

They didn't seem to heed the deafening slogans, and approached the plane chattering. Just as they walked to the front of the propaganda team, the American stopped and pointed to the crowd and said a few words with a grin. The lesbian interpreter said: "He said that this meeting was very unexpected! ”

Chen Yi smiled: "It's no more unexpected than the scene in Jinan." ”

The representative of the Kuomintang army rushed up and said: "That is a spontaneous action of the common people, and the government does not know about it!" ”

Chen Yi said: "I ordered them to come. So you can rest assured that there will never be that kind of rude behavior! ”

They laughed a few more words, but they didn't hear clearly. Then the Americans shook hands with Chen Yi and got on the plane first. The short and fat Kuomintang officer also stretched out his hand to Chen Yi and said with a cold smile, "Thank you for your hospitality Luo." When will General Chen Yi come to his brother's defensive ground, please give an order, and I, Ma Zhenwu, will personally drive to meet you! ”

"It's a deal!" Chen Yi shook his hand, then looked at him with forced eyes and said, "When my brother comes to my defense ground, I will also prepare a car and wait!" ”

Ma Zhenwu also got on the plane amid the slogan. The propellers whipped up dust and grass clippings on the lawn, dragging the plane into the gray clouds. The slogan turned into laughter and scolding. The officer on duty stood on a standing stone stone and blew the whistle, gesturing with both hands, and brought the team closer to the middle, announcing the chief's speech. He jumped down to help Chen Yi, Chen Yi blocked him with his hand, and stepped onto the stone stone with an arrow step.

"Comrades, take a break."

He took off his military hat, unbuttoned his discipline, put his hands on his waist, and talked unhurriedly: "Why do you want to make a send-off formation today? One is that they messed with us in Jinan and made trouble unreasonably! We'll give him back an arrow! It's called 'come and not be rude.'" Second, they won't come back after they leave this time. Leave him a souvenir. They want us to withdraw from Zaozhuang! Exit from Zhangdian! Exit from Lincheng...... In a word, we want to withdraw the vast areas liberated from the Japanese and give them them! They said we were going to do it, and they stopped talking. Do they think we can give him these places? ”

The square roared: "Don't give up an inch of land!" "Armed defense of the liberated areas!"

It was as if the anger of the masses infected him. Or rather, it was his own burst of sparks that ignited the anger of the masses, and the fire reversed to cause him to explode even more. He roared angrily, like a thunderbolt in the clear sky, drowned out the sound of the whole audience!

"Chiang Kai-shek bastard! He fainted, and bullied Lao Tzu's head! ”

He took off his shirt and threw his hat at the guard below. He glanced to the left and right, as if Chiang Kai-shek was hiding in some corner.

"Every city and every place here is what we bought with blood! Our Deputy Commander Luo sacrificed his life on the front line of Lanling, and our combat heroes and security were all sacrificed in Zaozhuang City! I opened this mountain, and I planted this tree! You want, you can, take Chiang Kai-shek's head in exchange! ”

He took the towel from the guard and wiped off the sweat from his head.

"I knew his turtle son was going to fight! U.S. planes and warships have sent his team to the gate of the liberated areas! American guns and bullets have filled his Civil War warehouse! All right! Come on! Lao Tzu is waiting for this battle to be tickled! Now I announce the mobilization of the whole army and enter the first level of combat readiness! ”

In order to suppress his anger, he stopped and stood silently on the stone. However, when he could not suppress the burning anger, he raised a hand and shouted, "Are there any of you who are afraid of death?" Which one is afraid of death to come out for me! ”

The square was so quiet that it seemed like the air had condensed.

"Which one is afraid of death, you come out, leave now, I won't keep you!"

He opened a pair of large eyes under his round sword eyebrows, and his gaze swept over everyone's face from left to right.

"Is there no one leaving? If you stay, then you will follow the Mao ** revolution to the end! Don't stop if you don't hit Nanjing! Don't stop if you don't defeat Chiang Kai-shek! Whether it is bloodshed or sacrifice, we must take the pen of the Spring and Autumn Period into our hands, and the history of China must be written by us! Meeting! ”

When he jumped off the rock, it was only more than ten minutes after he went up. In these ten minutes, the brief period of peace after World War II ended. People enter the venue with a lively and cheerful atmosphere, but they are also somewhat loose. When he exited, he had a stern face and a neat pace. The military song wet everyone's eyes.

The Japanese sedan started up and drove up to him. He shook his hand and said, "This is to sit and put on a show in front of the enemy representatives, and now it is not used." He and the two guards stepped into the ranks of the propaganda team nearby, striding forward with the sound of one-two-one's command.

There are a lot of queues, stop-and-go. Wait a while before you go out. When the team stopped, Chen Yi looked around and asked loudly, "Does Zhang Debiao have any?" ”

"Yes!" Zhang Debiao replied at the end of the row.

"Get out of the line!"

Zhang Debiao walked out of the team and stood in front of the team. Chen Yi also came out of the ranks, stood opposite him, looked him up and down for a while, and asked unhurriedly: "What are you doing recently?" ”

"Report to the commander, I'll feed the horses."

"I don't know you feed the horses? I ask you what mistakes you made! ”

"The organization department transferred me, but I didn't go."

"What else?"

"A bit liberal."

"Specifically!"

"I told strange things, saying that if I was forced to be a cadre again, I would desert."

"Then I told the people who are afraid of death to come out, why don't you come out?"

"Commander, you criticize me, I accept it, but you can't insult your comrades! When was I, Zhang Debiao, afraid of dying? ”

"Afraid of difficulties, being a free soldier, not seeking to be motivated is as shameful as being afraid of death!"

"So, I'm okay with that!"

"Where are you going?"

"I didn't really want to leave, I was talking about it!"

"Play the piano!" Chen Yi shouted. Zhang Debiao lowered his head.

"You don't think you're doing much wrong! Today I just wanted you to take a picture in front of the whole team! Look if you old revolutionary has the cheekiness! Old revolution? Old fritters! ”

"I, I ......"

"How are you? When you deal with mules every day, you can't see the difference between a mule and a man! The mule is on all four legs, always with its head down, and only a little in front of the hooves can be seen. What about people? When man's hands are freed and he stands up, he raises his head and sees far! ”

"I'm lagging behind." Zhang Debiao raised his hand to wipe his eyes.

"Which one gives you the right to lag behind?" Chen Yi still had a loud voice, but his tone softened a lot: "How many old friends are left on Luo Xiao Mountain?" How many comrades in southern Anhui are gone? Do we who are alive have the right to lag behind? ”

Zhang Debiao blew his nose.

"You have a low education, and you have difficulties in being a cadre, I know this. How can it be difficult to do revolution, do you think I, the boss, should be very comfortable! Can I report to Mao** to request a job change? Go back and clean up and report to the organization department. ”

"Yes."

"Go down and be a platoon commander. How long do you want to hang out of the party? Go to the company and make it clear to the branch, saying that you love to commit liberalism, and you want the branch to supervise you to correct it. ”

"Yes, go down and be a platoon leader......"

"Do it well, don't do it badly! Otherwise, don't see me again for the rest of your life! ”

In the afternoon, Zhang Debiao picked up his backpack and left. Soon, Chiang Kai-shek launched a full-scale attack on the liberated areas, and the vigorous war of liberation began. Propaganda teams also went to the front.

Three

The propaganda team acted on the front line, sang songs, carried stretchers, and managed prisoners, and entered the Yimeng Mountains from northern Jiangsu and southern Lunan, and hurried through seven or eight months. Da Futian set up another battlefield in the hinterland of Yimeng Mountain, and surrounded the enemy's 149th Division on the Xinggu Valley. Behind the encircling troops, the sniper units formed another circular line to block the enemy reinforcements from all directions. The nearest distance between the two fronts is no more than ten miles. Shells from enemy reinforcements fell on the heads of the 149th Division, and they could be heard scolding each other on the intercom.

The propaganda team was divided into small groups to work on the battlefield of Xinggu. On the night of the third day of the battle, Dunin was called to the regimental command post to receive a special assignment.

A brigade commander in the enemy's forward position had agreed to revolt on this day, but temporarily changed his hexagram. A senator surnamed Yu was sent to contact him and asked for an increase in preferential conditions. His superiors told him to be sent to headquarters. was fighting, and the regiment couldn't draw the right people, so they handed over the task to Dunin.

Du Ning accompanied the Senate in the middle of the two battlefields, walked seven or eight miles, and met two staff officers who greeted them. Walking to the gate of a broken temple where there were constantly correspondents coming and going, a staff officer led Senator Yu into the temple gate, and the other took Du Ning to bypass the broken temple and walk down a section of stone steps more than ten zhang away. The staff officer answered the sentry's command, and walked down the mountain stream with a rushing stream. After turning a few corners, I came to a wide place, and I saw two stone caves, one large and one small. There is a portable gas lamp hanging in the large stone cave. Maps are hung on the walls. Under the lamp, a square table made of briefcases was covered with a white cloth. On either side of the table were two red-lacquered chairs that were out of proportion to the environment. At one end of the cave, a bed is propped up with a door panel, and a military mosquito net is hung on the bed. A burly man with a slight hair loss, wearing only a white cloth shirt and glasses, stood under the lamp reading a book. He held a book in one hand, and with the other he mechanically shook a broken fan to bombard mosquitoes. Dunin's sound of them kicking the stones alarmed him. He turned his head and looked out of the hole from the top edge of his glasses. The staff officer immediately shouted: "Report, Captain Du has arrived." ”

"Come on, come on!" The man put down the book, took off his glasses, and shouted, "Xiao Yang, get some boiling water!" Du Ning caught a glimpse of the cover of the book with three large characters written in ink: "Theory of Contradiction".

Du Ning recognized it as Commander Chen Yi, stood down in surprise, and raised his hand in salute.

The staff officer left. Chen Yi led Du Ning to a small lawn in front of the cave and said, "Sit down, it's cooler here, and there are fewer mosquitoes." The hole is not in shape, dripping water, mosquitoes attack in groups! As he spoke, he first listened to Du Ning's report on the situation of Yu Senate's visit, and then inquired about the work of the propaganda team on the front line for more than half a year: what combat work did he participate in? What shows did you perform? How do you perform in the line of fire? How is everyone doing? Is there any inconvenience for lesbians in the trenches? He squinted his eyes as he fanned his fan, listening happily to Dunin's descriptions. And constantly ask questions and comment. When it was said that one of the propagandists had died heroically, he stood up solemnly.

"I remember this comrade. At one gala he played the violin. Serenade. After the performance, I criticized him for not pulling such soft things on the front line, and he blushed. ”

"He wrote about it in his diary," Dunin said. ”

"Later, I felt that the criticism was too impatient and reckless. He's a musician! I was going to find another opportunity to talk to him, but I didn't expect to say goodbye forever. ”

"He said in his diary that he was grateful for the commander's criticism and thought he was very inspired."

"I'm still too impatient! People carry violins from Shanghai to the trenches of the New Fourth Army, and this step is very valuable! As for what to pull, as long as it is not reactionary, it is too late to improve it slowly. Take a look at Mao**'s treatment of the world! Some people make serious mistakes, but he still treats them patiently! That time at the airport, I scolded Zhang Debiao and scolded him a little fiercely. I always thought that old comrades, you might as well be stricter and not have to circle in the way, but in fact, this is wrong! The more old comrades are, the more respectful they must be! ”

Du Ning didn't want to watch the chief blame himself in front of him, although he was very moved by Mr. Chen's strict self-discipline. deliberately diverted the topic and asked, "How is Zhang Debiao now?" We never saw him. ”

"He's fine." Chen Yi said: "The battle was fought very bravely, and a lot of old problems have been improved, and the party that joined last month was promoted to battalion commander this morning." It's just that he's in a difficult situation right now. ”

Chen Yi walked to the map in the cave, pointed to a hill marked with the word "Hutaoyu" and said, "He is sniping here." Originally, I was full of certainty, but yesterday Chiang Kai-shek suddenly airlifted a reorganization division and threw it all into this line. Yesterday, a crack was torn in the position adjacent to the east of Hutaoyu, and in order to plug this gap, more than half of Hutaoyu's troops were withdrawn. Now he has a battalion against two regiments of the enemy in front of him, and the pressure is very high. There were no troops nearby to reinforce him, and he was there as the main point at the moment. The enemy wants to take our chess piece, so he takes out the dead chess piece of Xinggu. ”

Chen Yi walked to the table, lit a cigarette, took a few puffs and said, "I just want to go to him tomorrow!" ”

"The commander himself goes?"

"Let's see if we can find a piece of looting material and get a pick-up for Lao Jiang [note 1]." Chen Yi smiled and said, "At least share a little pressure for the comrades there!" ”

Du Ning said: "The army commander will go in person, which will give great encouragement to the comrades!" But ......"

"I underestimated Chiang Kai-shek's desperate hooligan tactics, and put two less in the layout, and I am duty-bound." Chen Yi looked at Du Ning and said, "Would you like to accompany me to Hutaoyu to have a look?" I think you have some of the situation of the main attack troops. Let's experience the sniper front as well, and you can write works in the future. Maybe I can use you for help. ”

"That's fine, but I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything for the commander."

"We'll see when the time comes. When we go there, we must share our fate with everyone, but we must not tie the hands and feet of the commanders, and we are afraid that we will have to find a suitable way. I'm struggling with this. Then he asked Du Ning, "Are you sleepy?" ”

Dunin said he had slept a lot in the air-raid trench during the day and was not sleepy now.

"Then let's play a game of chess! I'm waiting to take care of a few things, I can't sleep, and it's a free time. ”

Chen Yi called Xiao Yang to take the chessboard pieces and put them on the small table. The two of them sat down across from each other, and Xiao Yang poured each of them a glass of cold boiled water.

When the chess game reached the middle game, the staff officer sent several telegrams and documents for Chen Yi to sign. Later, he reported on the situation of the negotiations with the Senate, saying that the senior director called the commander of the report army, and it seemed that the enemy did not really want to increase the preferential treatment conditions, but found an excuse to delay time and wait and see the situation. As for the representative himself, it seems that he has the sincerity of the uprising. When I asked him about the hostility, he was generally truthful and consistent with what we had. It also provided some valuable information. One of them is to affirm that the reinforcements brought by the new airlift are Ma Zhenwu's integrated 18th Division.

"Is it really Ma Zhenwu?" Chen Yi became excited. Without waiting for anyone to answer, he asked Du Ning again: "Do you remember this Humpty Dumpty?" ”

"Yes. He came to us when he was in the military adjustment team. Wasn't that send-off for him? ”

"Looks like I'm going to get a jeep!" Chen Yi laughed, "It's a pity that he is a reinforcement, not our target of annihilation." ”

Chen Yi asked the chief of staff to invite Director Gao and Senator Yu to him. After speaking, he sat down with Du Ning, walked more than a dozen moves, and just entered the port, there was a sound of footsteps, and Director Gao and Senator Yu arrived. Chen Yi had no choice but to put down his chess and walk out of the cave. Senator Yu hurriedly saluted, and Chen Yi beckoned everyone to sit on the stone casually, shook the pu fan, and said like a family affair: "Yesterday on the sniper line, we suffered a little loss. Your determination to revolt, this is a little shaken. ”

"yes, ah, not necessarily, not necessarily."

"There's nothing wrong with waiting and seeing. It's just that time is running out to wait and see. If you revolt, my troops will go up to the stars; If you don't revolt, my troops will also go up to the stars! But the uprising is good for the people, and good for yourselves. ”

"That's right, that's right......" Senator Yu agreed, absentmindedly considering something. Suddenly, he stood up again unexpectedly and saluted, saying, "I have the courage to ask the chief seat to be gracious and let me live." ”

Everyone present was stunned, and Chen Yi was also stunned.

"I don't want to go back." Senator Yu stiffly smiled, so that the muscles in his face twitched a few times. "Crossing the line of fire is a hell of a gate, and it's ......"

It's really laughing and crying. Director Gao said: "Alas, you are ordered to negotiate, how can you not bring back the results of our talks?" ”

"No, no, no, I can write a letter, and you can send a captive soldier to send it back. When I went back, I didn't kill myself in the line of fire, and I went back and forth between the two armies, and the spies couldn't spare me if they found out. ”

Chen Yi stopped the fan in his hand and thought seriously that no one would make a sound anymore. The Senator kept wiping his sweat. After being quiet for a while, Chen Yi shook the fan again, and his mind was decided. He said sincerely: "Whether you revolt or surrender, we all welcome it!" This is the first one, let's make it clear first. ”

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Second, I advise you not to give up an opportunity to make meritorious contributions. You have been in the reactionary camp for so long, and now you should learn to think about doing good things for the people. If you strive to make a little contribution, you will be able to gain understanding and preferential treatment. You are still in your prime, and you can still do things for the people in the future! ”

"I don't have military power, I want to make meritorious contributions, but I don't have enough spare strength."

"I can say it bluntly: I hope that your whole brigade will revolt, but I don't believe that it will be pulled over!" Chen Yi lit a cigarette, took a puff and said, "You go back, tell them what I said as it was, and tell them the results of the negotiations, whether they revolt or not, your credit will count." I asked the Chief of Staff to write you a certificate that you have been working for us since you surrendered. After the start, no matter which unit takes you in, they will send you to the headquarters when they see the proof, and they will never treat you as a prisoner of war. How's that? ”

"This, this is really higher than the sky!" Yu Senate bowed again and again and said, "If I don't do my best to serve, heaven and earth will not tolerate it." ”

"Hello do it yourself, we'll see each other soon."

After Director Gao and Senator Yu left, Chen Yi paced back and forth a few steps, raised his arms and stretched out his arms up and down, looked at his watch and said, "It's past twelve o'clock, we haven't finished this game of chess for two days, and then finish it!" ”

They sat back down at the table. Du Ning said: "It is rare for the Senate to be so self-interested. ”

Chen Yi only cared about chess and did not answer immediately. After a while, he seemed to be indifferent to talk about his visit to the oil mill. He said that the workers not only carefully collected the oil and bread, but also did not throw away the black and smelly oil feet. Workers say "make the best use of things", throw it away casually, and if you step on it, you will have dirty shoes, and the chickens will get sick if you eat them, and if you don't get it right, it will cause fires. It is better to put it away, and go up to the ground, and anoint the cart, and boil water, and draw firewood, and use it in the right way.

After this game of chess, Chen Yi lost two.

"You're me and distracting my spirit!" He grabbed Du Ning's sleeve and said, "No, let's go again!" You can't just say you've won! ”

The guard Xiao Yang pretended to pour water, walked behind Du Ning, and pulled the placket of his clothes, Du Ning understood, and hurriedly said: "Boss, I can't hold it anymore." ”

Xiao Yang said: "The chief should also sleep." You're going to Hutaoyu tomorrow, it's okay not to sleep :......"

"You're in a foreign country!" Chen Yi shouted at Xiao Yang a little angrily, "You and Captain Du colluded to prevent me from turning over!" ”

"Whatever you want! It's my responsibility to make sure you get a good rest! Xiao Yang pursed his mouth after speaking. Chen Yi also pursed his lips. The two looked at each other for a while, and Chen Yi finally admitted defeat and laughed: "Okay, okay, sleep!" Go to bed! It's time for you to sleep, too. Call Xiao Wu to get up and be on duty. ”

Four

Early the next morning, Chen Yi arrived at the combat office, explained to the commanders the battle plan for picking Xinggu, and then took the guards to Hutaoyu. Before getting on the horse, he instructed Du Ning to hurry.

Du Ning hurriedly ate breakfast and went on the road. Turning from the trail to the road, I saw Chen Yi's three horses from a distance, trotting forward in front. The horse's hooves raise a yellow mist.

From far and near, the sound of airplane motors could be heard. Du Ning put his hand on the pergola, and looked up to the sky, it was a mosquito type.

He immediately jumped into a ditch on the side of the road. Two mosquito planes brushed the treetops, casting huge black shadows on the road and sliding past at high speed. There was a sound behind him that tore through the air. The plane reached the top of the three horses, and a string of fireballs burst out from its armpits, and when it raised its head upward, it threw two more black balls, and the rising plume of smoke immediately engulfed the three horses. Strafing and explosions were heard.

Du Ning shouted in his heart, "Commander! His eyes were fixed on the place where the smoke was rising.

A gust of wind blew, and the smoke and dust moved northwest and dispersed. Through the veil of light veil, I saw the three horses leisurely and unhurriedly strolling forward. Dunin wiped the sweat from his head.

The plane circled half a circle from southwest to northwest, and then rushed down again, chasing the three horses along the road. Seeing that the propeller touched the horse's tail, the three horses seemed to hear a command, turned their heads in unison, and ran towards the plane. In the blink of an eye, one up and down and the plane staggered by. Then they stopped with another thud and turned their heads to see where they had turned. At this moment, the shells dumped from the plane were honking, exploding white fireballs on the way they ran. Then, two more bombs exploded a little earlier, and the smoke and dust once again blocked the view ahead.

The three horses took an unhurried step into the smoke. By the time the smoke cleared again, there were no horses left on the road. I saw that in the ravine that bent to the east, a string of brown shadows flashed between the green gauze tents.

Du Ning jumped up and got off the road where Chen Yi turned into the ravine. After passing a stream, he washed his face, drank enough in his hand, and then walked through the walnut forest where the horse's baggage was hidden, and climbed to the top of Hutaoyu Mountain.

At the top of the mountain, it is a big stone rock called "Gu" by the people of Yimeng Mountain. There is a command post in the stone cave under the Guxia. However, only one staff officer and one communicator were on duty. The regiment commander followed Chen Yi to the Qiandong position. The Chief of Staff gave a briefing on the current state of the war. To the south, there is a chair-backed hillside. At the end of the handrail on the left is a hill protruding, which is the 300 highland. The handrail on the right stretched out much farther away, and Nao Zhong went to the middle of the river and asked where there was a half-collapsed brick tower. The base of the tower is surrounded by chairs on one side and cliffs on three sides. From the left armrest to the right armrest, four bowstring-shaped lines of defense are opened.

The trench on the bottom beach had been taken by the enemy yesterday. The second line of fortifications was between the river beach and the 300 highlands, along the foot of the mountain. In order to shorten the front and concentrate our forces, we took the initiative to withdraw from there before dawn. The enemy did not occupy it either, and now it became a vacuum between the two armies. Our most important line of defense is this fortification, which starts from the 300 heights. The line is filled with real and fake bunkers, machine-gun arrays, and one-man bunkers. Behind it was an artillery position, and through the trees you could hear the laughter of the soldiers and the sound of metal striking from the grinding of the cannons.

Du Ning didn't have the heart to rest any longer, so he thanked the staff officer and continued to move forward. Find Captain Chen Yi and his party on the west side of the 300 Heights and join the ranks of more than ten people. Chen Yi, accompanied by the cadres of the battalion and regiment, stopped and stopped. One moment he stood down and looked at the enemy position with binoculars, and the other he chatted with the soldiers who were reinforcing the fortifications. Some of the trenches are not deep, the heads will be exposed to the horizon, and the enemy will often shoot cold. Chen Yi walked unhurriedly with his chest held up, and the accompanying cadres exchanged anxious glances from time to time.

Zhang Debiao discovered Du Ning. Hurriedly came over, shook Du Ning's arm and asked, "Why are you here?" Where are all the comrades on the team? ”

Dunin replied one by one, and congratulated him on his promotion to battalion commander.

"Ya Ya Wu!" He made a gesture of helplessness.

They came to a T-shaped intersection, where a few soldiers were sitting in the shade wiping their guns and smoking, and when they saw them coming, they were about to stand up and salute, Chen Yi waved his hand and told everyone to sit still. The warriors sat down again. Some slipped their eyes at the commander, some lowered their heads, and no one said a word.

"Comrade Regiment Commander." Chen Yi stood down and pretended to be surprised and asked, "Why did you bring all our soldiers like this, winning a battle is like losing two hundred dollars?" ”

The regiment commander was not sure how to answer, when a short, Hunan-accented soldier stood up and said, "Don't be sarcastic, boss. If you criticize a few words, we feel better. We have suffered defeat! ”

"Which one said you lost the battle?" Chen Yi said, "This is strange. The day before yesterday, I gave you the task of guarding this Hutaoyu. At that time you were two battalions of men, and the enemy on the opposite side was a regiment! Today, I will take a look, you have only left less than one battalion of men, and the enemy has increased to two regiments, but you are still guarding on Hutaoyu! And those whom you were sent out guarded another hill. You've done twice as many tasks as I did, is that a win or a defeat? I'm also a bit of a nonsense. ”

Some of the fighters laughed. But the Hunan soldiers stubbornly said: "We have withdrawn two lines of defense!" ”

"What's the big deal about that? We are an army, and we are not pawns on the chessboard, we are only allowed to advance but not retreat. If you lose the defense line and get it back, that's a! I came today knowing that you would get it back. ”

Speaking of this, a soldier with a northern Jiangsu accent asked embarrassedly: "When can we fight out?" ”

"That's up to you." Chen Yi said, "Without you, I would be a bare-bones commander!" You fight better, and we will leave the Yimeng Mountains sooner. Speaking of this, he saw several warriors around him wearing old mountain shoes with hook heads. Just said, "You comrades who joined the army in Yimeng Mountain, I'm afraid that you won't be in a hurry to fight out, right?" ”

A stubble-faced warrior said, "We're in a hurry! Fought for half a year! There isn't even a formal house left in the mountains! Planting crops can't catch up with the solar terms. The villagers saved food for us to eat, and they nibbled on the grits and elm skin pancakes, and went out a day earlier, so the villagers breathed a sigh of relief! ”

Chen Yi said: "That's right! We can't keep using our halls as a showcase! Let's go and stab him in the jars! In this way, you will guard this position for me until twelve o'clock in the middle of the night, and I will promise to hit Yimeng Mountain within ten days! Some people will say, how can you, the boss, be so decisive when you speak? I'm the decision! Which doesn't believe us to bet! As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to make a gesture of high-five with whom, "Which one is coming?" ”

Between the talks, there were already many people around. On behalf of everyone, the instructor said: "The people are in the position, and they will resolutely hold Hutaoyu." ”

Chen Yi nodded and said: "If you have to have this determination, let me tell you, Mao ** is now standing in front of the map, looking at our palm-sized Hu Taoyu!" Whether we can quickly fight Yimeng Mountain depends on whether we can eat the 149th Division that picks Xinggu; Whether we can eat the 149th Division depends on whether our Hutaoyu can block the enemy's reinforcements! ”

The soldiers said: "You send a telegram and tell Mao ** to rest assured, our wall is made of iron and steel." ”

"Hey, that's like our soldiers!" Chen Yi waved his hand happily and continued to walk forward. They came to a bunker on the 300th Heights, where there was a small patio camouflaged with tree branches. Boiling water has been prepared. Everyone sat down to rest, and the regiment commander took the opportunity to ask Zhang Debiao to report their battle plan.

Zhang Debiao said that there is a mountain with half a tower and cliffs on three sides, and only one fish backbone is connected to the 300 highland defense line, and once the passage is broken, it will become an isolated island. So we didn't fortify there, and the enemy reconnoitred twice except for fire, and had no intention of capturing it. Before dawn today, we secretly sent two heavy machine guns and a few 60 guns to ambush them there, and the task was not to expose them in normal times. When the enemy launched an attack on our 300 heights and the infantry approached our front line, they would shoot from the enemy's flank and rear, attacking from both sides, without worrying that the enemy would not retreat.

Chen Yi thought about it for a while and said: "This method is quite good, but unfortunately it can only be used once!" Next time, the enemy will concentrate on cutting off the back of the fish and getting rid of that fulcrum. At that time, more enemies will cross the river to join the battle. Didn't you just notice that several of the enemies on the river beach were using binoculars to observe the surface of the river? They're going to send more people across the river! ”

The regimental commander said that we would crush the enemy's charge once according to the above plan, and it would be afternoon. He organized another assault on the back of the fish, and it was already sunset. If you want to attack the 300 heights again, you have to do it after dark. In the night battle, one of us can withstand five of him. Fight out all your strength, and keep it until dawn. It's time for the battle to come to an end.

Chen Yi believes that this plan is too sacrificial, and it is not conducive to getting rid of the enemy after completing the mission. He asked, "You have two companies now, right?" ”

The regiment commander said: "Actually, there are five platoons, plus an artillery company. ”

"Put a platoon of infantry, with artillery coordination, and the enemy on the other side of the river will come to attack, can you hold it for a few minutes?"

Zhang Debiao said: "You can keep it for 40 minutes to an hour. ”

"Is it unsteady in half an hour?"

The regiment commander said: "With such good fortifications, it is definitely not a problem!" ”

"Good! Then you have a whole company! Can't a company of people make something famous in half an hour? Don't just pout your ass and get beaten, but also think about hitting people! Do you estimate how many men they still have to defend the river beach positions after the enemy's attack on the 300 heights? ”

Zhang Debiao said: "Judging from yesterday's situation, there will be at most one company. ”

Chen Yi said: "Suppose that at the beginning of the battle, your company was ambushed at the foot of Pagoda Mountain, and after the enemy approached the 300 heights, this company suddenly attacked his river beach position and caught him by surprise, what would happen?" After occupying the river beach, and then relying on the fortifications, and our troops on the 300 heights to flank the enemy, will he still be able to bear it? Two rows of people on the 300 heights should not have a problem holding on to occupy the river beach, right? ”

"If you can move to the bottom of the pagoda mountain, it won't be a problem." The head of the regiment looked at Zhang Debiao for a while, and then stopped talking.

An imperceptible smile crossed Chen Yi's face. Seeing that they didn't talk any further, he said, "I think you'll consider this plan." Having a skull on your shoulders isn't just for cutting off your hat, isn't it? ”

The regiment commander said: "Battalion Commander Zhang proposed this plan, but I vetoed it. ”

Zhang Debiao said: "Because I couldn't mention the passage to the bottom of the hill, the head of the regiment vetoed it. I sent someone to reconnoitre, but there was really no way down from Pagoda Mountain. The bottom of the river is rocky, and if you jump hard, you will break it. And as soon as it plops, the enemy will immediately notice it. ”

Chen Yi said: "You have considered it very comprehensively, especially the comrades of the regiment commander, and the veto is very reasonable. ”

He took two sips of the water bowl, his eyes flashed with a sly spark, and he glanced at Zhang Debiao. Zhang Debiao was vigilant, knowing that the boss was going to write his article.

Chen Yi asked unhurriedly: "Xiao Yang, at the beginning of the year, we came here to camp, which team did we pick up?" ”

Zhang Debiao said, "It's coming!" He replied, "We'll even give you a place to live!" ”

"When you were stationed here, did you see the terrain near the brick tower?"

“……”

"There's no hostile situation, and it's very busy, don't look at it!" After Chen Yi finished learning Zhang Debiao's tone, he asked with a smile: "Yes, I didn't ask you to be wronged, right?" ”

Zhang Debiao just laughed and didn't say anything.

"Good!" Chen Yi said: "If I give you a guide and give you a passage, can that plan be completed?" ”

The head of the regiment and Zhang Debiao both smiled and hurriedly said: "Chief, as long as there is a road, we will definitely complete the task." ”

"Okay, I'll give you a greeting gift, so that you won't be welcome next time." Chen Yi turned around and shouted: "Xiao Yang, you go and be a guide for Camp Commander Zhang, lead his team to the foot of Pagoda Mountain, occupy the river beach, and then come back!" ”

Xiao Yang agreed. There was a roar in the air, and a series of three shells shook the trench and exploded more than a hundred meters behind. The sound of airplanes was also heard in the sky.

The regiment commander said: "Comrade guards just draw a road map for us, there is no need to go in person." The enemy is about to attack, so please go back with confidence. ”

"Huh! Accept the gift and rush the guests? How can this be true? I'm not going anywhere! ”

"Then ask the commander to go to the summit headquarters."

"Why did you drive me away? Am I hindering you from fighting? ”

The head of the regiment looked at Zhang Debiao. Zhang Debiao plucked up the courage and said: "Report to the army commander, you are a little in the way here!" He didn't dare to mention the word "unsafe".

"Play the piano indiscriminately! What am I doing in the way? ”

"You are squatting here, we are commanding the battle, please ask you? Please, to be honest, you don't need to be in charge of such a small battlefield. And asking for instructions on everything also delays work, don't ask for instructions, with the superior head here, how can the subordinate commander be the master himself? ”

"I didn't ask you to ask me everything! As soon as I came, I made it clear that you will fight by yourself, and I will not come to command on your behalf, and second, I will not come to supervise the formation......"

"Say yes, really do it......"

"Well, I declare that from now on this bunker will be lent to me, and no one will come to me without my orders. Come on, I'm not there either! Xiao Wu, give me the chess pieces! Xiao Wu took out a bag of chess pieces and a folded chessboard from his satchel, Chen Yi took it, bowed down into the bunker, and shouted inside: "Comrade Du Ning, come and be a companion!" I want to avenge the revenge of those two sons last night. ”

Seeing that there was no room for negotiation, the head of the regiment had to say, "Let's go." However, comrade guard, you still don't have to go in person, do you? ”

Xiao Yang said: "I will tell you quietly, he planned all this last night. The set of two cows can't be pulled, and it's serious to set off quickly! ”

Walking in the trench, the regiment commander asked Xiao Yang how he knew that there was a road here? Xiao Yang said that last year, when they were stationed here, they went to the top of the pagoda to see the terrain. It was found that there was a dry well behind the tower, and the bottom of the well was connected to the river. The well is very narrow, and people can go down to the bottom of the well by pedaling on both sides of the stone wall. Drill out is the shade behind the mountain. As long as you go around the foot of the mountain from the river, you will reach the river beach, Chen Yi saw this situation at that time, and ordered someone to cover the wellhead with stone slabs, and pile rubble on it. He said: "The more secrets you have on the terrain, the more tricks you can use against the enemy." The head of the regiment said: "It's too coincidental, but I will use it today." Zhang Debiao said: "It's not a coincidence. As early as Luo Xiao Mountain, he taught everyone that when you are a soldier, no matter how tired you are, the first thing you do when you camp is to look at the terrain first. Walk around an area twice and have a living map in your stomach. In this way, the war is well understood. Otherwise, it is often too late to reconnoiter the terrain when there is a situation. This time I suffered a lazy loss again, and I was happy to meet him today, and I didn't scold! Everyone laughed.

The regiment commander asked Zhang Debiao, which company are you going to send? Zhang Debiao said: "You don't need a company, give me two rows of people, and I'll bring them personally." I'll leave it to the head of the regiment. The boss is on the position, and it is safer to leave an extra platoon. ”

The regiment commander asked: "Are you enough to bring two platoons?" ”

"A platoon can also complete the task, which is already double insurance. Collect all the sabers on the battlefield and give them to me! Raised by a son of a bitch, I won't kill him with a knife to see red, and I won't come back to see the boss! ”

Zhang Debiao and Xiao Yang sorted out the team and set off towards the brick tower. The regiment commander and the instructor walked through the entire trench separately and explained to the soldiers one by one: "You must hold your position!" Mr. Chen Yi is on our position! These simple words, like a fire, boiled the heroic blood of every warrior. Chen Yi is on the position! This is the call, the guarantee! There is no need to worry about the future, and there is no room for retreat. Be sure to block the enemy in front of Chen Yi. Hutaoyu is insurmountable.

Five

Du Ning was so pierced by the light that he couldn't open his eyes, and then he fell into darkness again, and his two eardrums whined. Chen Yi on the opposite side was no longer visible. He stretched out his arms and rushed towards the position where Chen Yi was sitting, using his body to protect Chen Yi's upper body. Wait until your vision is restored. The bunker is much brighter than before. One corner of the roof beam was broken, and the grass and pine branches covering it were gone. It's like opening a polygonal skylight. Go is also gone. Both he and Chen Yi fell in the dust half a foot deep.

He panted and asked, "Boss, are you safe?" ”

"Damn, it's safe to be safe, it's just that the hat flies away in the wind! How are you? ”

"The hat is still on my head, but my nostrils and mouth are full of dirt!"

"Then get up."

The guard Xiao Wu hurriedly got in and shouted, "Chief, chief!" ”

"Don't make a fuss!" Chen Yi dusted the dirt on his face with his hand and said, "Let's go and put your sentry." Someone came and asked, saying that I was fine, and told them to just go and direct the battle, and not to come in and disturb me playing chess! ”

When Xiao Wu went out, he and Du Ning looked at each other's mud bodhisattva-like faces and laughed. Du Ning pulled Go out of the dust, and Chen Yi found his hat in the corner, the brim of which had been pierced by the skin of a cannonball, a hole the size of an egg, and it was smoking. He twisted the fire to death, struck it twice on his legs, buckled it to his head, and put it right with both hands on the brim of his hat. Du Ning took off his hat and said, "Let's change it, you wear that broken one, comrades don't look good." Chen Yi hesitated for a moment, took off his own and Du Ning and said, "After the battle." You can change the brim of your hat, my top is still from Huangqiao! ”

After the skylight was opened, the bunker was brighter, but it was not as quiet as before. The gunfire was so loud that it was hard to hear the other side of the conversation.

The sound of shell explosions, rushing kills, tank motors, and rifle machine gun fire mingle together. Chen Yi asked Xiao Wu to bring a telescope and leaned out through the skylight.

Du Ning also wanted to see the scene outside, but he was afraid of increasing the target and increasing Chen Yi's danger, so he poked his head out from the broken beam, only to find that the telescope was superfluous. With the naked eye, you can even see the face of the enemy screaming. Three tanks, guns spewing tongues of flame, rushed towards our position. The infantry surged with it like locusts.

A few shells whizzed past the scalp. Du Ning subconsciously shrank his head.

"Xiucai, calm down!" Chen Yi lowered his voice and said, "The eyes of the whole position are staring at us, and we can't panic!" ”

Du Ning's face was hot, and he straightened his chest a little.

Two hundred meters down the 300 heights, the mountain was steep, and the tanks stopped. Instead of a lateral round-trip tour, shelling our positions with artillery fire. The enemy infantry lay down in groups, advanced in groups, and charged in turn. But our guns did not reply to him on the ground, and we saw that the tip of the bayonet flashed cold light on the top of the fortifications, and the soldiers were nowhere to be seen. Chen Yi was looking at it, and after a flicker of his eyes, he found that the regiment commander was standing not far behind him.

Chen Yi asked, "Why are you here?" ”

"Report, my command post has been moved here."

"Ah......h

"Commander, on my position, it is not allowed to expose your body outside the fortifications before giving the order to counterattack."

"Accept the criticism, I'll go down."

Chen Yi retreated. Du Ning was about to retract, but the head of the regiment stopped him.

"Captain Du, the boss's safety is in your hands!" The head of the regiment said excitedly, "You can worry more about all of us!" The shell just now exploded by the bunker wall, and the hearts of the soldiers were in their throats! ”

Dunin nodded knowingly and retreated into the bunker.

Chen Yi Laduning sat down and said, "People have installed the command post under our noses, so let's keep to ourselves." Come, play chess. ”

First, I heard the regiment commander give the command. And the whole position shook. The sound of shells and explosions mingled, the sound of charging and fighting mingled, rifles were out of points, and machine guns roared like a raging wind. The whole position became a rolling and roaring sea. The bunker was tossed and turned in the air. On the top of the roof, there was a clattering and falling sound, and all the beams and pillars made a rolling sound. Du Ning held a chess piece in his hand, but his eyes couldn't distinguish the horizontal and vertical lines on the chessboard, and he couldn't find a suitable place to land.

"Xiucai, Xiucai!" Chen Yi sighed and said, "Why can't you even talk on paper?" ”

"Boss, you better send me to the battle!" Du Ning's voice changed, "I can't be asked to guard you without worrying about your safety!" I can't go any further. ”

"Be quiet!" Chen Yi looked at the door of the bunker and said, "You know, I came here to get the consent of the former committee."

"I know."

"The comrades here have a heavy burden, although we didn't go directly to kill, but with us here and without us here, are we calm or panicked, for everyone, it's completely different!"

"I understand that, too."

"Then go on steadily! It's also a battle! ”

Du Ning froze his mind and focused his attention on the chess game, and the sound of the fight seemed to be farther away from him. After walking dozens of steps, an opportunity appeared, Du Ning hurriedly threw a piece, if Chen Yi should make a wrong move, he would lose the whole game.

Chen Yi picked up a chess piece, held his hand in the air, and dangled it for a long time. Du Ning didn't raise his head, his eyes were only fixed on the points on the chessboard.

Suddenly, Chen Yi slapped Du Ning on the shoulder fiercely and shouted, "Listen, listen!" ”

Du Ning was hooded, and before he could understand it, Chen Yi stood up and messed up the chess pieces on the ground. shouted happily: "Did you hear it, Zhang Debiao, this ghost thing rushed up!" He climbed onto the beam with both hands and leaped onto the roof of the bunker. By the time Dunin also poked his body out, the enemies on the hillside were already in chaos like a hornet that had stabbed its nest. Zhang Debiao, who had occupied the river beach, aimed all his fire at the back of the charging enemy and swept violently. The defending troops on the 300 heights jumped out of their positions and rushed into the enemy group with bayonets. As the enemy fell, they retreated into the river and fled desperately to the other side of the river.

Du Ning said: "Why didn't Zhang Debiao seal the retreat and let the enemy run away!" ”

Chen Yi said: "Zhang Debiao got it right! With so many enemies, it would take a lot of effort to force him to resist stubbornly on this hillside, and it would be difficult to draw the enemy on the other side of the river. This is like releasing rats with germs and letting them go across the river along with fear and frustration, and the enemy will not be able to organize an offensive today! ”

Chen Yi put his hands behind his back and looked at it for a while. Only then did he breathe a long sigh of relief and said, "Xinggu, 149th Division, it's over." ”

He handed the telescope in his hand to Dunin, jumped out of the bunker by himself, and went to talk to the regiment commander about something. Dunin held up his binoculars and looked over the riverbank. There was still fighting, but our men had already turned around and were shooting at the river. The fighters crossed their legs and pursued the enemy, and several of the enemy reached the water's edge, turned back and surrendered with their guns raised.

Dunin was very excited. Drill out of the door to find Chen Yi. Chen Yi was holding the telephone and making gestures and shouting: "Zhang Debiao, is there a ghost scratching your heels?" Can you talk slower? Wow, wow, wow, I can't hear anything! What? Ma Zhenwu! So you caught it! No, you're mistaken! Not bad? Well, well, he crossed the river to inspect the position, and he couldn't go back when the battle started! Is it really him? What? Someone has already been sent to deliver it? Don't send it, call him back immediately! Where you catch it, you can send it to you! Stay put, I'll be there soon! After speaking, he pressed the phone, shook it for a while, and shouted through the microphone: "I want the headquarters." Which one are you? Do you think I'm coming? Good. Send a jeep immediately and wait for Rama Zhenwu after arriving at Hutaoyu Mountain! Hey, pick a better one that doesn't break down on the road. ”

Chen Yi threw down the microphone, waved his hand, jumped out of the trench, and went straight to the river beach. He didn't pick a path, and strode over craters, fires, and enemy corpses. On the way, when Xiao Yang and Zhang Debiao were walking up to each other, he asked them to lead them to the door of a broken bunker and said to the sentry: "Tell Ma Zhenwu to come out!" ”

Ma Zhenwu, who wore a soldier's uniform, had not lost weight for half a year, and he was even shorter. As soon as he saw Chen Yi, he screamed and raised his hand to salute helplessly.

"General Zhenwu!" Chen Yi stretched out his hand and tried his best to speak plainly: "There is an appointment first, I am waiting for the car." ”

Ma Zhenwu shook Chen Yi's hand and shook his head again and again: "Ashamed, ashamed." ”

Chen Yi ordered Ma Zhenwu to be sent to the jeep behind the mountain. He himself walked to the middle of the position and raised his binoculars to observe the movement on the other side of the river. The twilight was four, and the sky was dark. A messenger who was sweating profusely sent a telegram to the regiment commander. After reading it, the regiment commander said, "Please take a look at it." ”

Chen Yi said: "You can talk about it." ”

"The enemy's brigade commander refused to revolt. Senator Yu brought over a battalion guarding the front line, and handed over the position to us. The door to attack Xinggu has been opened, and a general attack is about to be made. ”

"It's time for me to go back." Chen Yi said, "You should be more vigilant! Seeing the signal to pick up the stars, he immediately evacuated on all fronts. Going upriver along the river, there is a river man three miles away, which is the junction of the two parts of the enemy, and the defense is lax. From there, you will be inserted behind enemy lines, and you will not stop along the way, and after two days you will reach the Lunan Plain outside the Yimeng Mountains, and then rest and recuperate. I'll meet you there. ”

Chen Yi led Du Ning and others to climb to the top of the mountain. Zhang Debiao caught up and said: "Comrade Xiao Yang fought very bravely, and the soldiers asked me to ask for credit for him. ”

Chen Yi said: "We should ask for credit for all the commanders and fighters, this Yimeng Mountain is a monument, and it will always be engraved with your great achievements!" ”

They climbed to the top of Hutaoyu Mountain, and it was completely dark. The camp fire on the south bank of the river is smoking, stretching for dozens of miles. In the direction of Xinggu, the sky full of signal flares rose into the air. The sound of artillery and gunfire became stronger and stronger. The night breeze blew in with a misty drizzle, and I faintly heard people shouting and neighing.

Chen Yi stood on the top rock, untied his clothes, and was blown by the wind, as if he had spread a pair of huge wings. He took a deep breath of crisp air and groaned:

Zibo Laiwu battle blood red,

Our army hunted Taishan again.

Millions of tigers,

Seventy-two great feats.

……

When the newborn gray-haired man returns to the real world, the song still lingers in his ears. He understood, it wasn't an illusion. The fighters are still fighting. Just as in the past they sang military songs and charged into battle for the establishment of the people's country, today they sing military songs and fight to defend and build the people's country! They will always be loyal fighters of the party and the people, and will never betray their beloved commanders. So he opened his throat, sang to the melody flying in the air, and walked to the new post pointed to him by the party and the people.

Eastward and eastward, we are the new Fourth Army of iron!

Eastward and eastward, we are the new Fourth Army of iron!

Eastward and eastward, we are the new Fourth Army of iron!

First draft, November 1977

In 1978, the Qingming Festival was completed in Beijing

[note 1] is a term for playing Go, which means blocking.