Literary Master 1983

Chapter 78 In the Valley of Laoshan

A consolation team that brought together outstanding young representatives from many provinces and cities, including the "Military Literature and Art" literary creation team, the female lead of "Under the Bridge", the song and dance troupe, and a series of people from the literary and art circles, finally arrived at the Laoshan front line.

The soldiers had eaten early and lined up on the roadside to welcome the arrival of the visiting group.

Before, they were unwilling to believe this. Ning Ke, deputy squad leader of the third squad of the seventh company, said: "They are all great writers and stars. Even if they come to the south, it's just a token of their respect. How could they come to our real frontline? The path in our position is just a small one. Don't twist their leather heels!"

Some people also refuted him: "People of the same generation are in harmony with each other, and the front and back are closely related. Maybe we can see them!"

"This is a large-scale event requested by the military commander. It is coordinated by the national literary and art circles. It is not just in Laoshan. There are also consolation performances in places like Zheyin Mountain and Faka Mountain..."

The message of condolences spread like wings to every position. On the quiet hillsides of the Laoshan front, in the river valleys and cat-ear caves, there were expectations and doubts, but in the end, they did see real people.

Yu Qie once again read out the letter of condolence: "In the great cause of revitalizing China, you have undertaken the most difficult tasks and made the greatest sacrifices. The people of the motherland will always remember you, and the motherland's bright future will thank you..."

Gong Xue saluted everyone: "I have been a soldier for seven or eight years. I can proudly say that I am also a soldier! Please allow me to give you - my comrades and brothers, a noble military salute!"

Zhu Shimao said: "I am also a soldier! Comrades, I miss you all the time, and the people of the whole country miss you too!"

Feng Gong said excitedly: "I applied to come to the front line to express my condolences, but was rejected. It was too dangerous, and the performance form of crosstalk is not easy and unnecessary... It was indeed not easy for me to come here, but it was necessary!"

"I'd like to be where you are. I feel more at ease here than in the capital. My heart is at peace!"

Gu Yue just appeared in front of everyone. He waved his hand, and all the warriors were excited. They said excitedly, "You are here! We will not lose!"

What kind of performance is this?
There is no stage at the performance venue, just a slightly flat piece of land. The venue is very cramped and the performances are mostly small programs, such as solo and duet dances, solos, small chorus, dialogues, recitations and crosstalk, etc.

It was so simple, yet so shocking. The audience was extremely supportive and called everyone present "artist". Gong Xue became a performing artist, Yu Qie became a great writer, Feng Gong became a crosstalk master, Yu Shuqing became a dancer... So everyone tried their best and was extremely excited, just to present the best effect.

Yu Qie felt that he would remember this moment and these faces until he grew old.

The climax of the performance came when Li Shuangjiang sang for four hours straight until her voice became hoarse! and when Yu Qie and Gong Xue recited "The Letter from the Fiancée".

Li Shuangjiang brought a large blackboard and wrote "The Company's Song" and the lyrics on it. This is an old military song created in the 60s:

Our company's song is loud and sweet.

The song accompanied the flying military flag, and the song spread along with the gunpowder smoke.

Li Shuangjiang said: "I have also been a soldier. In my opinion, the biggest feature of company life is not discipline, tension, strictness, etc., but singing all the time and everywhere!"

"In the morning, when our troops gather and march, each squad and platoon begins to sing. They sing as they march. During the break, everyone gathers together to sing again. When dinner is served in the evening, each squad gathers to sing again, each singing its own song!"

Someone shouted, "There's also singing!"

"Yes! We also sang songs! When the company gathered, the squads and platoons sang. We sang and asked others to sing, and they sang and asked us to sing. From being very harmonious to being very 'impolite', we finally forced everyone to sing! After a few rounds, the whole team was excited, and their spirits were lifted and full of energy!"

Li Shuangjiang was full of enthusiasm. Although he didn't have a microphone, his voice was deeply heard throughout the venue: "I am the singer, I am the enemy, please sing, and you must defeat me!"

The soldiers were so excited by him that they opened their voices to outdo him. So, after he finished singing "The Company Song", he started singing "The March 8th Style Song", and after that, he sang "Returning from Target Practice", "Shoot When We Say So"... Some of these songs were completely unknown to Yu Qie, and even the soldiers who had just joined the army didn't know them.

At this time, Li Shuangjiang drew the music score and patiently taught everyone to sing along, and then competed with them until his voice became hoarse and he could no longer compete and had to admit defeat.

"Brothers, comrades, I can't sing anymore, you have already won the whole battle! I am defeated! Please let me conduct, I can still wave my arms, I can still sing for my comrades!"

Yu Qie was stunned.

Although Li Shuangjiang gave birth to a bastard son and he himself had a bad reputation, he worked very hard when he sang at the front line. Later singers had the best equipment but would only sing for two or three hours and then stop, claiming that this way of singing would ruin their voices.

But Li Shuangjiang didn't care about his voice anymore, he just wanted to get the people in front of him to cheer him up.

These people who were able to make it to the top in the 1980s were really capable.

Gold plating is something that not everyone can do.

The actresses of the song and dance troupe were dancing in unison, while on the other side Li Shuangjiang was still leading the soldiers to sing. In this atmosphere, Yu Qie and Gong Xue looked at each other, and they both walked to the center of the "stage" together.

Everyone knew that the performance was about to end, Li Shuangjiang slowly slowed down the tempo, and the actresses gradually left the venue, leaving most of the space to Yu Qie and Gong Xue.

Yu Qie started to speak: "Dear comrades, this is a handwritten letter from a military wife in the capital. Her husband has lost his eyes and some limbs... The military wife came from afar, crying and saying--"

Gong Xue waited for Yu Qie to finish and immediately continued, "We are together! My dear husband, how could I leave you? As long as you are alive, you are my hero!"

"I don't want anything else, we just want to be together!"

Yu Qie and Gong Xue had rehearsed this letter many times this morning, but none of them had the same effect as now. Just as they started, many people in the audience began to weep. Even Yu Qie, who was not good at acting, was moved by this scene. He choked up and acted as the disabled staff officer who was found by his fiancée:
"I don't believe it. They all said you wouldn't be with me anymore..."

Gong Xue was even more fully involved. She interrupted Yu Qie, and while reciting the lines, she looked at Yu Qie affectionately. She had completely entered the state, and could not help but lean on Yu Qie's side and push Yu Qi towards the mud, as if Yu Qie was the staff officer lying on the bed.

Yu Qi simply sat on the ground. Gong Xue said in a trembling voice:

"…Do not lose heart, do not be afraid…"

"Among thousands of lights, there will always be someone who leaves a light for you!"

“No matter where you are, there will always be someone waiting.”

Gong Xue's tears fell, all on her manuscript and wrist. Some of them flowed from her wrist and dripped onto Yu Qie's neck, making Yu Qi involuntarily wipe away Gong Xue's tears - Stop crying, I'm fine!

We are reciting here, don't get too involved.

This scene produced unexpected effects. It swept across the entire Laoshan Valley like a strong wind, striking almost every soldier's heart. They clenched their fists, thinking of their partners, parents, friends waiting for them... They wished they could tear the enemy on the other side apart immediately and not make their loved ones cry again!

(End of this chapter)