Twenty-fourth

Qiusheng and Ziyang built an air-raid trench there for half a month. The soldiers who guarded the guard were quite familiar with each other, and they would help Qiusheng bring some food or cigarettes for them to give them some money, and just give some cigarettes for the errand fee. Those who steal and grind a foreign worker as a soldier turn a blind eye, just wait for the days to be full, and people don't run away - they are all from poor families and can't be more serious.

Life is also passable, two dry and one thin a day, which is quite good in the era of lack of food and drink at that time. It's just that it's inconvenient to take a bath, and at that time in February and March, the water temperature was too low to bathe in the river. A few days later, the air-raid shelter was rotten, and there were people who smoked secretly, and once a man accidentally lit a blanket while smoking, and the cave was filled with smoke for a while, and everyone worked together to extinguish the blanket.

The day after the incident, several officers came in to inspect it, and when they left, one officer came out with his nose pinched by the smell of sweat.

In the afternoon of that day, Company Commander Wang, who led the team, asked everyone to finish work one hour early. When everyone returned to the air-raid shelter, they saw that ten marching pots had been erected on the empty floor at the entrance of the cave, and hot air had come out of the lid of the pot. After the company commander called the password to let everyone line up, he announced several things, mainly that fireworks were strictly prohibited in the air-raid shelter. Another thing is a good thing, after yesterday's inspection Commander Liu went back and trained the battalion commander for a while, saying that the fellow brothers had worked hard to dig trenches for several days, and they had not taken a bath, so they had specially arranged to boil water twice a week from today onwards to bathe everyone, and they would line up in turn. Everyone was overjoyed when they heard this, they hadn't taken a shower for almost ten days, and they stinked like they had been fished out of a dung pit.

Just as he was taking a bath, Autumn had an accident. When taking a bath, everyone lined up in batches to wash, and the stripped clothes were piled up. When Qiusheng and Ziyang came back from taking a bath, they saw that the person who had washed first had already turned their clothes into a mess, and Qiusheng looked for a while before finding his clothes and pants. After Qiusheng put it on, he touched the inside pocket of his sweatshirt, but found that the eight silver dollars that his uncle gave him were missing.

Qiusheng immediately went to Company Commander Wang to tell him about it, and when Company Commander Wang heard the fire, he immediately took a few soldiers into the air-raid shelter and shouted loudly: "Mom, which turtle son took someone else's silver dollar if his hands and feet were not clean, if he took the initiative to stand up, he would take a risk." Silently, let Ka Laozi find out, and carefully beat the vest of a turtle grandson! ”

There was a commotion in the cave at that time, and no one came out to admit it. The Yang company commander waved his hand with a gloomy face, and several soldiers behind him searched one by one, but they didn't find it after some searching. Just as Company Commander Yang was annoyed, he kicked something around the corner, and after a closer look, it turned out that there were two silver dollars on the ground, one of which was still caught in the crack of the brick.

Company Commander Yang took the silver dollar and looked at it for a while, then waved his hand at Qiusheng to come over. Seeing this, Qiu Sheng hurriedly ran over, and the Yang Company Commander opened his round eyes, patted Qiu Sheng's shoulder and arm, and said, "Brother, you said that you lost eight silver dollars, right?" Ka Laozi picked up two silver dollars here, and the number is not right with yours, I think it's not yours! Yours let the fucking Wang Bagui Sun hide it, Ka Laozi is from a robe brother, he is very angry, as the saying goes, pick it up on the ground, and see half of it! It's not easy for you to be a foreigner, and I'll give you a silver dollar! You have to remember my good, in the future, when the war comes to your Hunan, you remember to invite Lao Tzu to drink!! "At that time, Qiusheng was very grateful when he received the silver dollar, and it was good to have one!

Qiusheng also told Ding Xiang that night, in addition to being hot-tempered, Company Commander Wang is not bad, and he is very good, so you can only take a look at other people.

More than half a month later, the air raid trench was repaired, Qiusheng and Ziyang left there, and on the afternoon of leaving, Company Commander Wang gathered everyone to eat a meal of meat, saying thank you fellow villagers and brothers for going to the national disaster together, hard work, and each person was given a pair of new shoes when they left.

Qiusheng only had a silver dollar left on him, and it was impossible to go home, so he had to go to his shack with Ziyang, thinking about how to do something to save up the money to go home - Lilac's mother and brother were waiting for him to go home.

During the war, because North China and Southeast China fell into the hands of the Japanese, nobles and celebrities, wealthy businessmen, and refugees all flowed into the southwest hinterland of the rear, especially Chongqing, the capital of China, became the first choice for all kinds of people.

The mountain city of Chongqing is famous for its four major furnaces in the country, and it is famous for its hot summer and mountainous areas. In particular, one place of Chaotianmen is two rivers with a placket, and the barrier is on three sides, and the momentum is magnificent; On the stone wall, the vines are green, and the yellow horn trees wear through the rocks and bouldering, and the greenery is melting; The ancient pavilion on the cliffside, the flying pavilion is near the river; Two rows of stone steps, descending side by side, to reach the water, is a rare scenic spot in the country. Because of the rugged mountain roads and the scorching summer and cold winters, Chongqing has derived a unique sliding bar back for traveling with a sedan chair that is different from other places.

Based on his years of experience living here, Ziyang tried his best to introduce this profession to Qiusheng.

The slider is a way to use two long bamboos to install a chair with an umbrella cover in the middle, and the bamboo pole trembles and sloshes when walking, and the people sitting on it are very comfortable. The back is a way for a person to carry a chair backwards and let the guests sit behind them to climb the mountain and enjoy the scenery, but it is not as labor-saving as two people carrying a slide bar. Tired is tired, and the advantage is that the backer earns much more money than two people lifting the slider.

The temples and temples in Chongqing, places of scenic interest, have left the footsteps of the autumn students.

Sweat through the chest and back under the scorching sun, and cover your body in frost and snow when it is cold.

At the beginning, Qiusheng was a little hard, but as the days went by, he gradually adapted to this industry. Qiusheng competed to work regardless of the rain, wind and rain, and he knew that only in this way could he save more money, and only then would he be closer to home.

He couldn't remember how many times he went to Chaotianmen Wharf to see the sails flowing eastward on the Yangtze River, looking forward to returning to Lilac as soon as possible and reuniting with his mother and brother and their family.

In this way, the wind and rain came and went, and after more than two years, he finally saved more than 20 silver dollars.

In the thirtieth year of the Republic of China, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in the United States, and the United States subsequently declared war on Japan. Immediately after that, the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and China formed an anti-fascist alliance, and after ten years of fighting with the Japanese, China finally officially declared war on December 9 of the Gregorian calendar of that year, and at the same time declared war on Germany, Japan and Italy. The establishment of the anti-fascist alliance greatly reduced the pressure on the Chinese battlefield, and the Japanese divided their troops to open up the Southeast Asian battlefield.

Seeing that the situation in Hunan was improving, in the summer of the 32nd year of the Republic of China, Qiusheng, who was homesick and anxious, asked Ziyang to return to Hunan together. Although Ziyang has been separated from the organization for many years, he still feels terrified when he thinks of his father who died tragically with blood on the honey locust tree tied to the county yamen. Later, I couldn't stand my homesickness, and finally made up my mind to go back to Yiyang with Qiusheng first, take care of the relationship and observe the situation before making a decision.

The plan has been decided that Ziyang bought the altars and jars that he had saved in Chongqing for many years and returned to the ship, because the Japanese controlled Wuhan, and the ship got off the ship before it arrived in Yichang. At that time, Yichang had fallen into the hands of the Japanese, and Qiusheng tried their best to go around and around, and more than a month later they arrived in Changde through Shishou, which was already a stone's throw away.

At that time, Changde was on the verge of a major war, and the 57th Division of the 74th Army of the National Army was stationed in Changde to guard against the imminent attack of the Japanese at any time. Just as Qiusheng and the others were about to continue south to Yiyang, Ziyang unexpectedly met an acquaintance here.

On that day, Ziyang and the others had just arrived at the city gate, but they found that the soldiers at the city gate had set up machine guns to check on the people who had fled out of the city. When it was Qiusheng Ziyang's turn, the squad leader on duty looked Qiusheng and the two of them up and down, lifted Qiusheng and the two of them shoulders to look at them, and asked, "Look at the strangulation marks on your shoulders on your shoulders, honestly tell me which part of the ?!!?" Qiusheng panicked when they heard this, and hurriedly explained that they were ordinary people, who had been soldiers, and the strangulation marks on their shoulders were carried by carrying things and straps.

How could the squad leader believe that it was useless for them to say good things when they were fierce. Later, Qiusheng secretly stuffed a silver dollar to the squad leader, and the squad leader pretended not to know, but his attitude was much better, and said to Qiusheng and them: "Deserters are going to be shot, and you know!" Today, for the sake of the two brothers, wives and children, I will be a good person. In this way, you will follow me to the battalion headquarters to repair fortifications and serve as laborers, and you will not be held accountable for evading service, and if you do not send them to military law, you will be punished! ”

Qiusheng Ziyang and they had never seen this formation, and their faces turned white when they heard it, and they were afraid that if they really sent the military justice department and made them deserters, they would lose their lives, so they had no choice but to go to the battalion headquarters with the squad leader to report the name of labor.

The war was imminent, and the errand of building trench fortifications was not as comfortable as when building air raid trenches in Chongqing. Taking a bath is even more extravagant, a few days later, they sweat in the autumn, and when they eat, they can only look at the rice bucket and look lonely.

After several days of hard work, coupled with an unhygienic diet, Ziyang has always had abdominal pain and diarrhea in the past two days. When I started running two times, the soldiers scolded and scolded, and after the three or five trips, those who were soldiers stopped doing it. When Ziyang just raised his hand and shouted a report, two soldiers came up at once, one of them smashed the butt of a gun on Ziyang's shoulder, and the other kicked him in the ass. scolded in his mouth: "You have a lot of things, pull Lao Tzu's crotch!" Ziyang was caught off guard, and a fork fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Qiusheng and the others just wanted to come forward to persuade them, but the soldier with the gun raised his gun and pointed it at Qiusheng and said fiercely: "Rebellion?!" Hurry up and get back! "Qiusheng didn't dare to make a mistake, bowed their heads and went back to do things.

At this time, a foul smell came from the tunnel, and it turned out that Ziyang really couldn't help but pull the crotch of his pants. At this time, the soldier who kicked Ziyang's ass just now kicked Ziyang twice, and scolded in his mouth: "Bastard, you really pull Lao Tzu's crotch and pretend to be dead, don't you?!"

At this time, Qiusheng next to them couldn't hold back any longer, so they surrounded them and shouted. When the soldier with the gun saw that the situation was not right, he hurriedly blew his whistle as he retreated. Moments later, a group of soldiers with guns ran from a distance, led by an officer with the rank of lieutenant.

The officer jumped into the pit and shouted, "What's the matter?!" Stand still! ”

Qiusheng heard it clearly, and the officer had an Anhua accent, so he stepped forward and said boldly: "Sir, one of our brothers has an upset stomach, report to these two bosses for a tuba." The bosses disagreed, and the pulled into the crotch of their pants, and the two CEOs ......, "Qiusheng wanted to say that the soldier still beat people, but the words came to his mouth and swallowed his stomach, and he was afraid that the soldier would retaliate in the future."

The officer smelled the smell of at this time, covered his nose with his hand and put it down, he glared at the two soldiers, and reprimanded: "People have three urgencies, why don't people?!" Today, the two of you will work for half a day on his behalf, Liu Xiangqian, Wang Youlun, you will come to replace them for the laid-off! When the two soldiers heard this, they put down their guns and took their pickaxes and went to work.

At this time, the officer bent down and asked Ziyang with concern: "Brother, you are not feeling well, you should go back to your residence quickly and clean up." Don't do things today, rest for a long time and talk about it later, okay? ”

As soon as Ziyang heard the accent, the officer was actually a fellow villager with him, so he got up, glanced at the officer carefully, felt a little familiar, and hurriedly thanked: "Thank you, sir, I am passing through Changde to return to Anhua, and there are fewer people The bosses pulled us over to dig trenches and beat the Japanese devils." In the past two days, my stomach has not been angry, and I have missed the affairs of the chiefs, I'm really sorry. ”

When the officer heard this, he carefully looked Ziyang up and down, and said with some surprise: "Brother, are you Anhua?" Where do we seem to have met, what is your name? Ziyang has changed his name and surname for many years, but this time he blurted out in front of his fellow villagers: "Sir, my name is Wang Ziyang, from Yingzhai, and the chief is ......."

"Ziyang, it turned out to be Ziyang!! How can I look at you familiarly, I am Yao Yan, Ziyang! Before Ziyang could finish speaking, the officer rushed over and shook his shoulders with both hands.

When Ziyang heard that it was Yao Zhipeng's son Yao Yan, he was shocked and thought that something was wrong. But as soon as he saw Yao Yan's warm and sincere expression, his heart was relieved again.

Yao Yan took Ziyang's hand and said, "Ziyang, let's go, go to my company to take a shower and change into cleaner clothes." ”

Qiusheng, who was digging a trench in the distance, stopped, looked at Ziyang who was taken away by the officer, and felt a trace of worry in his heart. Just as he was in his trance, the soldier who was overseeing the work came over, kicked a handful of dirt at Qiusheng in the trench below, and shouted, "Look, dig quickly!"

Qiusheng was startled, hurriedly wiped a handful of dirt on his face with his hands, and quickly picked up the shovel and started working again.

At that moment, Ziyang returned to the company with Yao Yan, took a hot bath and changed into the clean clothes that Yao Yan had prepared for him. Ziyang has never taken a bath since Lalai dug the trenches, and that comfort is better than the feeling of the New Year.

Yao Yan is still Yao Yan, who studied in Luoyingzhai back then, is enthusiastic, kind, sincere and cordial.

Ziyang couldn't help but have a sour nose, and he hurriedly turned his head for fear that Yao Yan would see it. After calming down, he turned back to Yao Yan and said, "Yao Yan, a man of aunts—your cousin-in-law and I have dug a trench together, and we will return from Chongqing together ......."

When Yao Yan heard this, he was just about to answer, when a soldier rushed in from outside and shouted a report, "Report to Deputy Yao Company, the battalion commander has something to do with you, and tell you to come over immediately!" ”

Yao Yan said to the soldier, I know, you go and get busy with you. Fu turned back to Ziyang and said apologetically: "Ziyang, I'll go to the camp headquarters, the Japanese opened fire this morning, and there may be a big battle." You don't go anywhere, stay with me, and lie on my bed to rest when you are sleepy. Later, I will go to the fortification to find my cousin-in-law, we will talk for a night, my cousin-in-law is called Gui Qiusheng, right? I don't know him yet, I was in Liuyang when I got married! After saying that, he went out in a hurry.

Before it was time to start dinner at five o'clock in the afternoon, Yao Yan came back with Qiusheng.

As soon as he entered the room, Yao Yan unbuttoned his shirt and military uniform, and greeted Qiusheng: "Sister, here are two classmates from me and Ziyang to have a few drinks with you, and you should make up for the congratulations that you didn't come to congratulate you when you got married!"

Qiusheng hurriedly responded: "Cousin, it's just annoying you!!"

"Hey, sister, look at what you say, the family goes out on the same road, and they talk about grass and annoyance! Wang Youneng asked Master Liu to have a few whole dishes, saying that I have a distinguished guest, and I will bring it in when it is ready! ”

The kung fu servants who were waiting for the meal sat down and chatted about family life, and when they met old acquaintances in other places, the brothers opened the conversation endlessly. Yao Yan chatted with Ziyang about the things in the school back then, and laughed happily when they stole the gentlemen's paper and pen and climbed the low dirt wall of the school.

It's just that when talking about Mr. Wang, Yao Yan was in a heavy mood, and said apologetically: "Mr. Wang is straightforward, my father and your father were on good terms back then!" Alas...... My father is sorry for your father, this party and that party, you can't really grow up drinking a river water in a village! Ziyang, forget about those bad things, we're still good brothers, okay?! ”

Ziyang was in a heavy mood at the time, and when he heard Yao Yan say this, his mood suddenly brightened, he grabbed Yao Yan's arm with his left hand and shook it, and replied in a slow tone: "Okay, the matter of the predecessors." Our good brothers, it was like that back then, and it will be the same in the future! ”

While talking, Chef Liu served six bowls of dishes such as spicy chicken, shredded potatoes and so on.

When Yao Yan was about to greet Ziyang and them for dinner, Company Commander Liu came back. He glanced at the food on the table and looked at Qiusheng and them, and said to Yao Yan with a smile: "Deputy Yao Lian, you pick and search on weekdays, and today there is a lot of blood!" How? Come to Da distinguished guest, today's old man has a good mouth, and I will come back to you and earn some interest back! ”

After finishing speaking, he greeted Qiusheng and them: "What do you call the two brothers?!" Introduce me to you𠼦! ”

Yao Yan hurriedly smiled and said, "Company Commander Liu, this is my elementary school classmate, and that is my sister-in-law." Passing by and returning to my hometown, I was pulled by my brothers for many days, and I just met it today. ”

When Company Commander Liu heard this, he hurriedly said to Qiusheng and them: "Oh, it turned out to be two good brothers!" Collided, those monkey cubs didn't embarrass you, did they? Alas, in times of national crisis, everyone has a responsibility to defend the land, and it is also appropriate to make some contributions to the country. If only I had seen it two days earlier, now the Japanese are surrounded by water, and there is a fight on the periphery! I don't know if I'm going out now, so it's better to stay with us and avoid it, and after the battle, my brother will personally send you out of the city, how about it?! When they heard this, they were very grateful.

Company Commander Liu waved his hand and said, "Don't thank you, Yao Yan and I are like brothers, and he carried me out of the pile of dead people when I was in northern Jiangxi, and his brother is my brother." Yao Yan, I won't eat your chicken for nothing. I can't get out of it today, so I went to my brother's house and took out all the bottles of wine. A brother is happy today, I don't know if there will be a braincase tomorrow?! ”

In this way, the four of them opened their arms and did it, calling brothers and sisters during the banquet, all over the world, all forgetting about the bloody battle that was about to take place. It's really that there is wine today and drunk today, and it doesn't matter where tomorrow is!

During the banquet, Qiusheng talked about going to Chongqing with Yao Yan's father, and Yao Yan also talked about his experience of leaving the army after the training in Changsha.

Soon after Yao Yan trained in Changsha, he went to the front. Because of his culture, he first worked as a clerk in the regiment headquarters, taking care of some errands for sending, sending, sending, and sending. Later, during the Second Battle of Changsha, Yao Yan's troops blocked the devils in the Xinqiang River, and when the battle was fierce, the regimental reserves were all up, and the battalions and companies below were still urging to ask for replenishment. Yao Yan is a hot-blooded young man, and the first few times he applied to go to the front to personally slash the devil, he was suppressed by the head of the regiment. Yao Yan has a bright cultural mind, and the head of the regiment is reluctant. On the other hand, the regiment commander cherished his talents and did not want Yao Yanqu to die under Japanese artillery fire.

This time the situation was critical, Yao Yan applied to go into battle again, the regiment commander measured the troops at hand, and shouted at the guard platoon commander: "You take a squad to support the three battalions and eight companies, they have been fighting for several days, and it is estimated that there will be a few people!" Xiao Yao, you can also go with Platoon Commander Yang, pay attention to safety, don't have a tendon! Platoon Commander Yang, you take Xiao Yao with you, don't let him rush around! ”

When Yao Yan heard this, blood gushed up in his head, and he bowed to the regiment commander and picked up a formal rifle, and hurriedly followed Yang Platoon Commander out without looking back, thanking him as he walked: "Thank you, Tuanza!"

Looking at Yao Yan, who was rushing in a hurry, the regiment commander shouted behind his back: "Xie Mozi Xie, the bullet doesn't have long eyes, you kid give me some spirit and obey the command of Platoon Commander Yang!"

Not to mention that Yao Yan really has two strokes, not only brave, but also resourceful. He gave advice to Platoon Commander Yang, and after that battle, he made a short sortie and counter-charged three times, which bluntly repelled the Japanese soldiers, and he also killed a Japanese devil from a long distance with his own hands. Liu Fusheng, the commander of the Eighth Company next to him, was stunned, and shouted at Yang Platoon Commander after relieving himself: "This future life is terrifying, and he is clever in his mouth, and he is not ambiguous when he shoots!" In the end, the people around the head of the regiment, talents, talents! ”

This Company Commander Liu is the one next to Tong Qiusheng. Speaking of this, Company Commander Liu picked up his wine glass and said to Qiusheng Ziyang: "You fellow countrymen, you convinced Lao Tzu when you met for the first time, and you really obeyed it!" Brother Yao, come, come, come, brothers, have a drink! ”

After that battle, the regiment commander decided to make him a staff officer of the regimental headquarters. Yao Yan was not happy when he heard this, so he proposed to be a platoon commander in the first-line company, saying that he didn't want to stay at the regiment headquarters anymore. At this time, Company Commander Liu, who participated in the post-war summary and appraisal meeting, stood up and asked the regiment commander for Yao Yan. The regiment commander knew that everyone had their own ambitions, so he obeyed Yao Yan, and since then, he has been with Liu Lian Commander for a year or two. Later, Yao Yan moved to various places with his troops, and successively participated in the Northern Jiangxi Campaign, the Shanggao Battle, and the Western Hubei Battle, and died nine times in his life. In the battle of Shanggao, the whole company was killed and wounded, and there were only about 20 people left in the company, and the company commander Liu was seriously wounded, and the company deputy was killed. Later, when the troops were withdrawn, there were only more than ten people left, and Liu Company Commander was personally carried back by Yao Yan, and after resting and replenishing for three months after the battle, he set up a squad platoon to act as a second-line reserve.

Speaking of the part where Yao Yan carried him back from the pile of dead, Company Commander Liu, who was already drunk, pulled Ziyang with one hand and Qiusheng with the other, and stammered a little when he spoke, "I'm Yao...... Handsome...... My brother is my reincarnated father, let me... Many... One more life!! Earn a lot, earn a lot!! ”

After speaking, he said to Qiusheng mysteriously, Ziyang whispered: "You fellow, talent, the future is immeasurable!" It's not like me, I've been fighting for ten years, and I've been a company commander for four or five years, but I'm just waiting to die! Hey, my brother is quite popular with women, those female soldiers and nurses in the health team are all loved! When those women were recuperating after the war, they dared to drill into my company, and they began to think that there might be one or two people looking for me, and they were really disappointed, and they all came to him! You say it's not angry to death! Speaking of this, Yao Yan's face turned even redder after drinking wine, and he was a little embarrassed to Chong Qiusheng Ziyang and said: "Don't listen to my brother's nonsense, what a rash thing is, there are one or two nurses who came to me to borrow two books, and the weeds turned into flowers in his mouth!"

When Company Commander Liu heard this, he was anxious, and said to Qiusheng Ziyang with a red neck: "Look, he still doesn't admit it!" He was afraid that my brother and sister-in-law would be angry and sip vinegar! You don't know, he has a master of that grass in Changsha, and he is a junior in the same school. I saw it during the Battle of Changsha, and now my belly is so big in Yiyang, I'm about to give birth! After speaking, he gestured with both hands to the posture of the big belly, and laughed.

Qiusheng and they hurriedly congratulated Yao Yan, Yao Yan propped his elbow on the table, waved his hand in the air, hung his head and said to them with red eyes: "Alas, Mo Ti, I know that this battle has an end!" If you retire alive, it's better to be together as a family, just like you. If one day she hangs bitter parsley, the orphan and widow will be a sin I created!! ”

When Company Commander Liu heard this, he was busy, bah, bah, and said three times, "My brother fought the Communist Party first, and now he is fighting the Japanese soldiers, and it's not good after ten years, don't talk about discouragement!" You are all alive and well, you are in your twenties, and you have a wife and children at a young age. My brother is more than thirty singles, and he has made so many fragrant and smelly women, and the puppies are all taking the risk of helping me get out. You give me a good life, and if you start a war tomorrow, you will shoot yourself in a hurry, ancestor, you let me save some heart! ”

That night, Yao Yan and the others drank four or five bottles of wine, and when they were drunk, the four big men squeezed into a room and slept together, and spent the night together.

End of the twenty-third round