In the early morning of July 9, the advance battalion of the 1st Division of the National Revolutionary Army and the two direct engineer battalions of the 1st and 2nd Divisions gathered in the northern suburbs and set off early as the vanguard of the Northern Expedition.
The advance regiment and engineering battalion of the First Division will go to Chenzhou, Hunan to carry out various preparations such as temporary camps, site selection and construction of supply depots, and security liaison. The task of the Engineer Battalion directly under the Second Division is to widen the junction area between Shaoguan and Chenzhou.
The mountain roads and bridges were strengthened to facilitate the smooth northward movement of the army's baggage convoys. The Anyi Third Company, which had repeatedly accomplished extraordinary feats, was naturally regarded as the main force in road construction.
"These two horses are okay, go ahead, I'll take care of the team."
Beard led two maroon-colored pack horses with saddles on them to An Yi and Yin Jinan. Yin Jinan, who was wearing a straight military uniform, quickly took the reins.
An Yi looked at the long queue of people heading north: "Huzi, wait for a chance to find Lao He and ask him to give us a few more pack horses. We have so much equipment, but only twelve horses are not enough."
, the brothers will have a hard time, and the marching speed will become slower and slower, how can this be done?"
"Okay, I'll go find him. The Munitions Department has collected a thousand yuan from us, and they won't refuse to give us this face. You two should leave quickly, it will be too late later."
Huzi looked at his watch and urged An Yi and the two to go to the East Campus to attend the graduation ceremony and Northern Expedition swearing-in ceremony.
An Yi nodded, took the reins from Yin Jinan, got on the horse with Yin Jinan at the same time, clamped their legs together and lightly waved their riding whips, then rode away together.
The historic Northern Expedition swearing-in ceremony will be held today. Before the swearing-in parade, the fourth graduation ceremony of Huangpu will be held. More than 2,000 graduates assigned to each army will return to the East Campus to participate in the original companies and brigades.
A grand military parade.
An Yi, Yin Jinan and thirteen other outstanding fourth-term graduates were selected as the student representatives of this term to take the oath on stage and receive the sword awarded by President Chiang Kai-shek.
Colorful flags were flying inside and outside the East Campus, and bugles were blaring. An Yi and Yin Jinan had to dismount fifty meters outside the west gate through two heavily guarded sentries, and handed the reins to the two cadet soldiers who were on guard duty. They had not yet had time to thank them.
, the two students saluted An Yi and Yin Jinan: "Thank you for your hard work, senior!"
An Yi took a closer look and laughed happily: "Li Hong, Tang Shouzhi! Haha... By the way, aren't you also going to follow the military in the Northern Expedition?"
Li Hong, a mature engineering and military researcher, replied: "We may have to leave a few days late, but we will definitely be able to meet the two seniors by then. I really miss you as a trainee in the third company. I wonder if the seniors are willing to accept you?"
Yin Jinan and An Yi both like this single-eyelid scholar from Xiangyin, Hunan. They met many times when they were in school. Moreover, Li Hong is two years older than An Yi and Yin Jinan, so there is no distance between them when they talk.
Yin Jinan replied happily: "I wish you could serve as a trainee platoon leader in our company. Your knowledge and ability are no worse than ours."
Li Hong waved his hands humbly, and when he heard the unique rally call of the military academy, he quickly called the two seniors to come in. Tang Shouzhi, an infantry student on the side, looked at the backs of An Yi and the two with envy, and lightly punched Li Hong: "Two
The seniors are all capable people in the fourth period. The comprehensive training methods they have summarized have been introduced into our school training. They have been awarded titles before graduation. It is hard to compare! Brother Zhizhen, you are so lucky to have such a good senior.
, I will definitely be able to lead the troops as I wish this time. Alas, I am in trouble, there are too many people in our infantry, and I am afraid we won’t be able to get to the front line even if we fight hard.”
"I also believe that I can get what I want this time. Although Senior An Yi is joking and informal on the surface, he is never sloppy in principle and can definitely do it when he says it; Senior Yin Jinan really never makes a joke. This is true in our engineering department.
He is well-known throughout his life." Li Hong smiled confidently.
An Yi and Yin Jinan showed their IDs and entered the west gate. They found the flag of the military school among the military flags in the sky. They ran through the formations and ran to the front of the team. Before they could say hello to many comrades who had reunited after a long absence, they were driven away by the instructor.
In front of the square team of the engineering brigade, An Yi and Zhang Tianyi were still the captain and deputy leaders of the second district team according to their original habits in school. Yin Jinan ran into the team and showed his usual humble smile amidst the envious congratulations of a group of classmates.
"Stand at attention—play music—"
As the command sounded, the whole place immediately fell into silence. The military band played the triumphal song and the military song. Next, the ministers spoke one after another. After standing for a full hour, Principal Jiang slowly walked to the microphone.
In the front, he delivered his famous Northern Expedition speech. His speech seemed calm, but there was an indomitable and impassioned fighting spirit permeating the words.
At the end of the principal's speech, the audience burst into applause and chanted loudly, and the whole place was in a state of excitement for more than three minutes.
Vice President Li Jishen walked to the microphone and loudly announced the beginning of the fourth graduation ceremony of Huangpu Military Academy. The majestic Huangpu Military Academy school anthem was played, and more than two thousand ambitious and extremely proud Huangpu students sang in unison: "The angry tide is surging, the party flag is flying
,This is the revolutionary Huangpu..."
The singing stopped and there was thunderous applause. More than 2,000 fourth-year Huangpu students sitting directly in front of the rostrum marched forward under the majestic command of Vice-President General Li Jishen. Each square team walked in unison to the bottom of the rostrum.
Standing, everyone raised their proud heads and gazed at the mentors and officials on the stage.
Under Li Jishen's orders, the former commanders of each company and brigade took solemn steps and held neatly arranged "Zhongzheng Swords" in their hands to prepare for distribution. An Yi, Yin Jinan, Li Mi, Zhang Lingfu
, Yang Jie, Wen Qiang, Liu Yuzhang and other fifteen fourth-term outstanding student representatives, led by the military academy's director of education and political department officials, boarded the rostrum in high spirits, lined up neatly in front of the crowd, and waited for the principal to award them personally.
Soldiers covet the sword, which symbolizes status and glory.
The bugle sounded loudly and the military band played military songs. Principal Jiang and Vice Principal Li Jishen, surrounded by a group of senior officers of the military school, walked towards their students, starting from Gao Kuiyuan, who was first on the right, solemnly and full of hope.
He slowly handed the sword to his students. Every time he handed out a sword, Principal Jiang would whisper a few words to his students, call out his students' names, and cordially greet them. How are they doing in today's army? This made many students
I was so excited that my eyes filled with tears and I was inexplicably grateful. When I saluted and shook hands with the vice-principal and the mentors behind me, I was already speechless.
An Yi was the first in line to take the stage, but was the last to receive the sword.
Principal Jiang led a group of school officials and mentors to An Yi, who stood tall and solemn. He nodded with satisfaction and asked kindly: "Where is your company?"
"Report to the principal that the Third Company of the Engineer Battalion of the Second Division of the First Army set out at five in the morning. The students were located four kilometers away from the northern suburbs when they left. At this time, they should arrive at Tongde Village Railway Station to wait for the bus to Shaoguan." An Yi replied loudly.
After hearing such a detailed report, Principal Jiang smiled slightly: "Very good, I am very satisfied. An Yi, you are an outstanding student in our fourth phase of Huangpu. The school teachers are proud of you. As the principal, I am also very proud. I hope you will
Keep up the good work, make further progress, and move forward unswervingly in our doctrine, striving for greater honors and meritorious deeds for the military academy, the revolutionary army, and the division commanders!"
“Students should remember the principal’s teachings!”
An Yi answered louder, making the photographers on the side tremble in fright. The smoking flashlight in his hand almost fell to the ground, attracting a burst of sideways glances from the officials.
Principal Jiang couldn't help but smile after seeing it, took the sword from the adjutant, slowly handed it to An Yi, and whispered something surprising:
"An Yi, you are enterprising and capable of both literary and martial arts. You are witty and yet principled. It can be said that you are proficient in all eighteen martial arts. You have a shining edge and are like a sword all over your body!"
An Yi excitedly took the sword with both hands, leaned forward slightly, and respectfully whispered back to the principal who was staring at him with a smile: "Principal, students are stupid and don't know how to restrain themselves. They know their mistakes! Seriously, students are like any disease.
The tiger balm that can be applied easily is like a knife without any sharp edge. Only the sword given by the principal today is the sharpest knife for students!"
Principal Jiang was overjoyed after hearing this: "Okay! Okay! You are worthy of being my student... An Yi, keep your character and don't change it. If you change it, you won't be you anymore, haha..."
All the officials heard it interesting and laughed. Li Jishen waited for Principal Jiang to turn around and leave. He came to An Yi and returned the greeting. He quietly looked at the student in front of him who he valued very much. Thinking of what he had just said to Principal Jiang, Li Jishen
Knowing that I would not get this prodigy, I felt a little uncomfortable.
Unexpectedly, An Yi suddenly whispered something, which moved Li Jishen so much that he almost lost control: "Uncle Li, I don't know when I will see you again after I leave. You... take care of yourself. You might as well go to Sha Mian for your old waist injury."
Check out the British hospital, which has a special method for treating back injuries."
Li Jishen nodded slowly with great pleasure, stretched out his hand and patted An Yi on the shoulder: "I heard... Xiao Yi, I know you are brave, but you have to judge the situation and make a decision before taking action. You are still young, so you must guard against arrogance and impetuosity.
Summary, do you understand?"
"Junior, keep this in mind!"
An Yi solemnly performed a military salute, watched Li Jishen turn and leave, and respectfully met with his future mentors in the school one by one to receive blessings and teachings.
Then he and a dozen other proud men who carried the honor and hope of all four-term comrades turned to the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the audience, raised their hands in a solemn military salute, and walked off the podium amidst thunderous applause.
After the passionate oath was completed, with the command of the master of ceremonies, the grand military parade ceremony began. As the advanced model team of the fourth phase, the second district team was placed in the first position of more than a dozen graduates. Three outstanding instructors from the military academy
The flag bearer in charge set off first under the escort of the flag guard, followed closely by the honor guard square composed of student soldiers. An Yi, who was in front of the square of the second district team, gave a loud command and led his square to follow behind the honor guard of the military school, marching firmly
Walking towards the rostrum, they were inspected by nearly a hundred military lieutenant generals and party leaders. The entire military academy team was full of vigor and ambition, winning rounds of applause from the rostrum and the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians watching the ceremony around it.
Subsequently, all representatives of the elite troops of each army took the stage, pushing the military oath-taking parade to one climax after another.
The ceremony ended at noon. An Yi took Yin Jinan around the crowded playground, shaking hands warmly and joking goodbye with each of his classmates in the fourth period.
At this time, An Yi has returned to his usual style of speaking freely and making witty remarks. He gets into heated fights with his brothers wherever he goes, and triggers bursts of uninhibited laughter wherever he goes.
Seeing time fly by, An Yi and Yin Jinan bid farewell to their classmates and mounted their horses to chase after their own company. The swords hanging on the belts of the two officers were very conspicuous and swayed up and down as the horses galloped.
Yin Jinan rushed to catch up with An Yi and asked loudly: "Brother, what did you say to the principal on the stage just now to make the principal laugh so happily?"
An Yi laughed: "You want to know?"
"Yes, I am the closest to you, but your voices are very low and I can't hear you clearly."
"Haha! It's okay to tell you. I told the principal that the hilt of this sword is too ugly. One day when I get rich, I will redecorate it with platinum and precious stones, haha..."