Abandoned military camp in the Roman Empire Concession!
A middle-aged soldier with a face so thin that his cheekbones protruded was looking worried at the grain inventory data reported by the quartermaster.
There was not enough food in the camp. According to the supply practices in Western Concessions, it would take 20 days for the next supply, but at this time the food stock was only enough for 10 days.
To be honest, since entering this military camp, the remaining 280 people of the 542nd Regiment have been completely cut off from supplies from the military. Although the concession has kept its promise and replenished the military camp with potatoes, rice, and vegetables on a per-person basis from time to time, but
That only ensures that people live and don't starve to death.
The previously promised return to the battlefield through a road was even more empty talk. Even if he tried to talk to the commander of the Western Concession several times in a row, the other party only sent a liaison officer to reply: under negotiation.
That was obviously a delaying strategy. When half a year passed, everyone, including the middle-aged soldiers, understood that they would never be able to leave here again before China defeated Japan.
They have been abandoned.
As the top officer of the 542nd Regiment here, the middle-aged soldier knew very well that it was the result of the continuous pressure from the Japanese, but he still felt aggrieved. The words Tang Dao said before leaving kept lingering in his ears, and the regret in his heart grew day by day.
concentrated.
However, the middle-aged man knew better that if he could turn back time and go back to the moment when he received the order to retreat, even if he knew the result in advance, he might still choose to accept the order.
This is all because his perspective is different from that of Tang Dao. Political compromise is needed at the national level. A weak country cannot offend all the Western powers while fighting Japan. He must make sacrifices.
But the tragedy is that not only did he sacrifice himself, but also all the more than 280 brothers under his command were sacrificed in this way. They stayed in this small place like prisoners, consuming precious youth, and even had to live.
Relying on alms-like supplies from Westerners, he never knew when he would be handed over to the Japanese. This was a torture more painful than death. As an officer, he did not dare to look at those expectant eyes. This was only a few months ago for him.
The main reason for the rapid weight loss.
It really hurts my heart!
Fortunately, the Chinese people in the concession have not forgotten them, and they regularly raise funds to donate some fresh meat. Every morning when they do morning exercises and raise the flag, there are always many people standing in the open space outside the military camp, watching silently or
They sang military songs together with them until the patrolmen from the patrol house in the Western Concession dispersed them with sticks.
That may be the biggest motivation for these trapped Chinese soldiers, under the surveillance of an infantry battalion and six heavy machine guns, to continue to drill every day and raise the military flag every day!
Even if they are imprisoned, they are still Chinese soldiers!
As long as they can be released onto the battlefield, they will still be an elite force that can make the Japanese army fearful.
Although the middle-aged soldier and his subordinates also know that the result of this will make the Japanese who suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Sihang Warehouse hate them even more, and will put pressure on the concession and be extremely harsh on them, but so what?
As long as there is still breath left, the military flag must rise against the rising sun every day!
The determination of the Chinese soldiers to resist the war will never fade. Just like Tang Dao and Lei Xiong who came out of the 542nd Regiment, fighting the Japanese only cost their lives.
Thinking of Tang Dao and Lei Xiong, the middle-aged soldier's frown slightly relaxed.
Although the military camp is isolated from the outside world, it is not an island of information. People in the concession will always find ways to stuff newspapers into supplies.
The constantly updated newspapers let him know that his two proud subordinates had done a good job on the battlefield. Not only did they survive the desperate situation, but they also made great achievements and upgraded the Si Xing Battalion into the Si Xing Regiment.
The commander of the army colonel, who was at the same level as him, and the other also became the deputy commander of the lieutenant colonel. They beat the Japanese to tears on the battlefield. Recently, in the battle in southeastern Shanxi, they teamed up with friendly forces to kill a mixed brigade of the Japanese army.
If there is a chance to meet them again, the middle-aged soldier will definitely give his two proud subordinates the most standard military salute and a hug.
They did not lose the reputation of the 542 regiment! He was very grateful to them.
"Ah Sheng, go and pass my message to Lao Chen. Don't beg those foreigners. Take my medal, gold pen, and gun to Mr. Du's subordinates to see how much food they can exchange for." said the middle-aged soldier.
He rubbed his sore brow and shouted without looking back.
As a result, no one responded.
The orderly who was staying outside the door didn't know where he went.
"What a bastard!" The middle-aged soldier said with an angry look on his face.
Although they are imprisoned on this isolated island, the remnants of the 542nd Regiment still operate in strict accordance with military regulations. They will send out rotating sentries 24 hours a day. If nothing happens, they will also line up according to the company on the small playground that is not spacious.
Various training, although this also causes them to consume food quickly.
Middle-aged soldiers understand that as long as they are still practicing, they are Chinese soldiers, but if they become lazy that day, they will truly become prisoners.
Even the antelope will not be afraid of the lazy lion!
The regulations in the military are strict. Even if the orderly Ah Sheng is a distant relative who has been with him for three years, he will never be allowed to leave his duty without permission. The punishment of five horse whips is unavoidable.
"Report to the regiment, someone in the concession is coming to deliver supplies! Do you want to meet the regiment?" The familiar report of the orderly suddenly sounded outside.
"Oh? Why don't you invite the distinguished guests in?" The middle-aged soldier was slightly startled and quickly stood up to welcome the guests.
During the nine months, there were many deliveries of supplies from the concession, but never more than three visits in person with supplies.
There is no other reason. In order to prevent Japanese troubles, the garrison in the concession rarely agrees to enter the military camp with people and goods. Those who can be allowed to enter the military camp are all influential figures in the concession, such as the underground emperor, who comes to the military camp.
I had a heartfelt conversation with a middle-aged soldier, and the middle-aged soldier also expressed his heartfelt thanks for his help in the Battle of the Four Elements!
The door was opened directly, and a man wearing a long green coat and a top hat on a hot day walked into the house with his head resting on it.
Then, the orderly who did not follow the room closed the door again.
"You are..." The middle-aged soldier was slightly startled.
It's not that the orderly is a little abnormal, the middle-aged soldier still knows the orderly who has been with him for three years very well. The bond of family makes the chance of him betraying him almost zero.
Rather, this person who did not show his face made him feel inexplicably familiar.
"Sir, long time no see!" The visitor suddenly raised his head, took off his hat and looked at the middle-aged soldier with a smile on his face.
"Tang Dao!" Xie Jinyuan was so excited that he almost roared.
The proud subordinate he had just been talking about in his heart actually appeared in front of him. With such excitement, even a soldier who had experienced countless battles could no longer remain calm and calm.
"Hello, sir!" Tang Dao, who was wearing a long coat, gently placed his hat on the table, then held his head high and gave a military salute.
"Okay! I'm fine!" Xie Jinyuan's lips trembled slightly, he also stood at attention and raised his hand in return.
The two of them greeted each other in a small room with the highest military etiquette.
This kind of etiquette can only be understood by soldiers and comrades-in-arms.
Tang Dao paid tribute to the commander for his indomitable struggle in the past year, and the commander paid tribute to his former comrades for their glorious achievements on the battlefield.
Tears loomed in the eyes of the two tough men!
"Sir, thank you and your brothers for your hard work during this time." After the two saluted, they clasped their hands together and Tang Dao said seriously.
"It's not hard work. You, Lei Xiong, and Leng Feng are killing the enemy on the battlefield. That's the real hard work."
,No, pour tea for Captain Tang."
"Okay!" The orderly outside the house obediently entered the house with a bright smile on his face.
Needless to say, he already knew about Tang Dao's arrival. He had deliberately not mentioned it before, just to give Xie Jinyuan, who had not smiled for a long time, a surprise.
"You kid, please stop doing all the bells and whistles in the future. You did a good job keeping the confidentiality secret, but you almost made me cry." Xie Jinyuan criticized his orderly with a smile.
"Sir, don't blame Ah Sheng. It was Battalion Commander Yang and I who asked him to stay normal so as not to attract Xiao Xiao's attention." Tang Dao explained to the orderly.
"Tang Tuan, please have tea. I'll guard the door." Although the orderly was criticized by his own parents, he grinned happily.
"By the way, sir, you'd better just call me by my name. This call of Captain Tang makes my scalp numb! I can't even drink this tea." Tang Dao picked up the teacup, took a sip of the tea, and smiled.
road.
"You can't say that. You are now a dignified army colonel and the commander of an elite infantry regiment with a title. It is natural for me to call you Commander Tang." Xie Jinyuan looked at Tang Dao with some emotion and replied.
.
If Tang Dao hadn't really stood in front of him, who would have believed that this dignified colonel of the Four Elements Regiment was just a big-headed soldier nine months ago? But if they knew his record, they would feel that all this was nothing.
It's natural, and there is even a feeling that the military rank is too low.
"Without your cultivation, sir, Tang Dao would not be what he is today. No matter what position Tang Dao holds in the future, you will always be Commander Xie in my Tang Dao heart, and you will always be my comrade-in-arms and brother to my brothers in the Four Elements Regiment." Tang Dao.
Answer honestly.
"Hey! I wonder if I, Xie Jinyuan, will have a chance to fight side by side with my brothers on the anti-Japanese battlefield." Speaking of this, Xie Jinyuan suddenly sighed.
Perhaps because he felt that his lamentation was a little inconsistent with the joy of the two's reunion, Xie Jinyuan hurriedly changed the subject: "What happened to the brothers who left you and Lei Xiong that day?"
"Leng Feng is already the commander of the third battalion, Cheng Tieshou is the third officer of the artillery battalion and commander of the air defense company, Li Jijin is also the commander of the first company, and even that guy Gu Xishui is now a lieutenant..."
When Tang Dao heard Xie Jinyuan asked about this, he quickly introduced the promotion resumes of some key figures.
When he heard that the former lieutenants and soldiers under his command had all grown up so quickly and were either school officers or lieutenants, Xie Jinyuan smiled brightly and nodded frequently.
Although as a commander, he may not necessarily be familiar with everyone under his command, they are all comrades who have fought with him to the death, and are Jedi comrades who have truly lived and died together. Hearing about their rapid growth, one can imagine how happy he feels.
Know.
However, when I heard Tang Dao say that the 106 people who accompanied Tang Dao and Lei Xiong refused to retreat and defended the warehouse that day, only about 40 of them are still on the battlefield. The rest either died in various battlefields or were physically disabled and had to retreat.
When he was on the second line, Xie Jinyuan still couldn't help but burst into tears.
This is war. Every farewell is a true goodbye, never to be seen again.
"If the earthen jar is not broken outside the well, the general will inevitably die in battle! People who join the army have no eyesight for swords and guns. It is normal for them to return home wrapped in horse leather. If they die, they will die. They are worthy of being a good man of China." An excited Xie Jinyuan stood at the station.
He stood up and looked at the distance in front of the window and sighed, then turned back and gave a sincere instruction: "However, Tang Dao, you are also the leader of a regiment now. You must know that only by loving the soldiers like sons can the whole army be united. Those brothers who have lost their limbs due to war
Never abandon it easily.”
"Please rest assured, sir. Today's Sihang Regiment has a fixed station in the Taihang Mountains, and a number of new factories are being built there. All officers and soldiers who have been disabled due to injuries, if they do not want to return to their hometowns, they will either take up positions in the factories or serve as recruits.
Serve in training camps or second-line supply camps.
There are enough pensions for brothers who died in the war. Even if some cannot be sent home because of the long journey, I ordered the Military Supplies Department to keep them and send them back to their hometowns one by one to support their parents, wives and children when the war eases." Tang Dao.
He quickly stood up and responded.
"Okay, you did a good job, much better than me, the former commander. Those brothers put their lives in your hands, and you did it right." Xie Jinyuan nodded repeatedly.
"By the way, when you came to Songhu this time, did you report to the war zone?" Xie Jinyuan suddenly thought of an important point.
Seeing Tang Dao shaking his head with a smile, his face suddenly changed, and he stamped his feet and said: "Hu Tu, Tang Dao, you Hu Tu! The war is about to begin, and you are the leader of a regiment, and the leader who has just achieved great success.
, I don’t know how many pairs of eyes are staring at you. If you come here without saying hello, you will be easily criticized by those who are interested. If you are afraid of fighting and abscond, all your previous achievements may be wiped out.
Hurry up, you and I have seen this before. You can meet with the other brothers later and return to the front line immediately. Don’t waste time. You, you, are still too young to understand the dangers of this human heart.
."
Xie Jinyuan has been in the military for more than 20 years, how come he doesn't know about these dirty things in the current military? If you want to be promoted, you have to rely on flattery and giving gifts. However, if someone has some ability and is promoted through military service, he will be suppressed by people with ulterior motives. Over time, even if
People with righteous thoughts and upright minds can also be polluted and even join in the evil deeds.
Otherwise, with his ability, he might have been promoted to the rank of general long ago, and he would not have been just a lieutenant colonel before the war. He was asked to lead a lone army to be trapped in the Sihang Warehouse because he knew that there was no life or death in it.
In the end, if some people know that not only will they not die, but they will also be promoted to a first-class military rank and become famous at home and abroad, then such 'good things' will never happen to them.
Although it was a scolding, it was full of care. Tang Dao couldn't help but feel warm in his heart. He replied with a smile: "Sir, please don't worry. I had already taken leave before this trip, but they didn't know I was here."
here."
"This is a bit of an explanation, but you still can't stay here for a long time. The Japanese army is full of spies. If you are not careful, you will be targeted by the Japanese. Now that you have become famous, you have already become a person they hate. It is best to leave as soon as possible."
Xie Jinyuan nodded, his expression still serious.
"You are not afraid of hardships and dangers, and Xie and the brothers are very grateful!"
"No, Tang Dao's trip is not just to see the commander and brothers." Tang Dao shook his head.
"It's a matter of military secrets. You don't have to tell me." Xie Jinyuan frowned and waved his hand in refusal.
"I want to take the commander and brothers out of here."
"Nonsense, what can the country not solve? Can you, a small regiment leader, solve it? Go away quickly and don't do such futile things. You, Lei Xiong, Leng Feng and the brothers continue to beat the Japanese and beat them hard.
Japs, let the world know the determination of the entire 542nd Regiment of the 88th Division to fight the war. My brothers and I are extremely satisfied.
Don't mention this matter again, otherwise you and I will have nothing to do with each other from now on. You will be the leader of your Fourth Army Regiment, and I will be the leader of my 542nd Regiment." Xie Jinyuan's eyes welled up with shock and anger, and he yelled loudly.
In fact, with this intelligence, how could he have thought about the purpose of Tang Dao's adventure at the moment when he reunited with Tang Dao?
He wanted to leave this place of imprisonment day and night and return to the anti-Japanese battlefield, but he did not want to involve his subordinate, who was most likely to become a famous anti-Japanese general. If this caused an accident to Tang Dao, it would also lead to the failure of the Four Lines Regiment far away in North China.
Without a leader, his fighting power was greatly reduced, which was something he could never forgive himself for in his life.
Therefore, he has been trying his best to avoid this topic, and even pretended to be angry and scolded Tang Dao and asked him to leave, but Tang Dao still said it openly. The suspicion in his heart was revealed when Tang Dao said this sentence.
The moment finally becomes a reality.
"Sir, please listen to what I have to say. If you think my plan is not feasible, how about rejecting it?" Tang Dao may have anticipated this person's reaction, and advised him unhurriedly.
"We are more than 280 living people, especially Battalion Commander Yang and I. We are the top priority for Japanese spies. How can you secretly send us all away, unless you have the ability to steal the sky and change the sun. Tang Dao
, let’s go! My brothers and I have accepted this favor.” Xie Jinyuan was silent for a long time and sighed.
"It may not be possible to change the situation, but it is still possible to change the situation..." Tang Dao still told the truth about his plan.
Xie Jinyuan couldn't help but be stunned.
He didn't expect that his subordinate he picked up from the battlefield would have grown to such an extent after not seeing him for nine months.
Not only can he kill everyone on the battlefield, he can even expand his network of people to an unbelievable level.
The people of the Roman Empire were actually willing to do things for him and were willing to take such big risks.
If this is the case, it seems that it can really be done.
When he thought that he might really have a chance to return to the battlefield, the heart of this patriotic general suddenly became extremely hot.
His brother was willing to give up his future in order to save them, so how could he refuse?
