The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 537 A Man's Ambition Lies in Leaving His Hometown (Two Chapters Combined)

Time: 5:30 AM, September 20, 9.

Location: Military camp on Liushan Sandbar, outside Xinning County.

When the reveille sounded, Jiang Jinqiao immediately opened his eyes and sat up straight in bed.

Or to be more precise, although he lay in bed all night with his eyes tightly closed, he never really fell asleep.

There was no other way! Today was the day their Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment's Hunan Province Supplementary Regiment officially set off.

Logically, before the army sets off, troops that have never had a day off since enlisting should give the new recruits a day off to go home, visit their families, and say goodbye.

After all, no one can guarantee how many people will be able to return to Xinning alive after this expedition.

Unfortunately, because the training time was too tight, and the officers were probably worried that the new recruits might have a moment of despair and become deserters, they didn't give everyone a break to go home.

Fortunately, Commander Hu was kind and offered another solution.

We arranged for everyone's families to be brought to the county town in advance and made arrangements for their food and lodging.

As a result, at the end of training yesterday afternoon, Battalion Commander Chen Tang told everyone some good news: all ideological and tactical training for the evening was canceled, and everyone should quickly wash up.

An hour later, everyone's family members will come to the barracks to meet them.

They had a meal together, chatted about everyday things, and didn't leave the military camp until 10 p.m., which was also the last farewell before their departure.

Under these circumstances, Jiang Jinqiao was finally able to see his parents, older brother, second brother, younger sister, and others again after half a month.

Almost every new recruit's family came, and there were always several of them.

With tens of thousands more people suddenly in the military camp, there weren't enough tables and chairs to hold a large banquet.

However, the logistics officer, Mina, made excellent arrangements for the evening's meal; she had prepared a large quantity of chicken, duck, fish, and meat in advance, and many people had gone to help out in the cooking squads of each company.

So, apart from the lack of tables and chairs for everyone to sit at, the food was just as good as it should be for dinner that night.

Sure enough! The eldest and second eldest brothers squatted by the river and each ate three large bowls of rice, and even the little sister ate two large bowls.

They only stopped because they were afraid the children would overeat and their father scolded them.

After a hearty meal, the Jiang family found a quiet spot in the crowded military camp and quickly said their final goodbyes.

At this point, the family members looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

Jiang Jinqiao's father didn't say anything, he just squatted there with his head down, constantly puffing on his hand-rolled pipe.

In just half a month, the sixteen-year-old boy was surprised to find, under the bright moonlight tonight, that his father, who always seemed so energetic when scolding or beating him, had too many white hairs on his head.

The mother held Jiang Jinqiao's hand without saying a word, just crying and looking at him, as if she couldn't get enough of looking at him.

The two older brothers and the younger sister, who had opened their mouths to say something, all shut their mouths upon seeing this, making the scene indescribably heavy.

It seemed that the other families in the military camp were in the same situation, and for a time, faint cries could be heard everywhere, making people feel inexplicably suffocated.

This situation continued until Dad, after smoking two cigarettes, first cursed at Mom:
"What are you crying for! Qiao Ya is going to war, not to die. Your crying makes it sound like he's going to the execution ground. It's really bad luck."

After finishing his tirade, he turned to Jiang Jinqiao and said:
"Qiao Ya Zi! You can rest assured and go to war with Commander Hu to fight the Japanese. Your mother and I are in good health, and we have the resettlement allowance you received after enlisting. You don't need to worry about things at home."

As soon as their father finished speaking, their eldest and second eldest brothers quickly followed suit.

Eldest brother: "Yes! There's still me and my second brother at home. We can both do any heavy work and won't let our parents get tired. Qiaoya, you can go fight the Japanese without worry."

Second brother: "If I had known that serving in the army with Commander Hu meant eating such good food every day, I would have joined the army too."

Even my little sister, who is only nine years old and doesn't quite understand things yet, started to shout:

"Third Brother! You must fight the Japanese devils well, become an official, and come back as a high-ranking official. When you do, you'll be riding a tall horse like Commander Hu, so impressive!"

After being scolded by her father, the mother didn't cry out loud, but she kept wiping away her tears.

After a long while, she said, "Third brother, remember not to rush to the front when you're fighting, try to avoid some bullets; I don't expect you to become a high-ranking official, I just hope you can come back safe and sound."

"I'm saving that money for your future marriage; don't let anyone else use it."

Upon hearing this, Dad glared at him and was about to start yelling again.

It wasn't a criticism of the claim that the resettlement allowance was kept for Lao San to use so no one could use it, but rather a reminder not to be foolishly selfish during the war.

However, after saying those words, he swallowed them back, rolled another cigarette, and started puffing away.

Between selfishness and his child's life, he clearly chose the latter.

The family talked a lot afterward; most of the conversation was quite trivial, which made the atmosphere much more relaxed than before.

Mother said that the family had just bought some ducklings. If Jiang Jinqiao could come back in five or six months, they could eat blood sauce duck. At that time, the ducks would be the best for making blood sauce duck.

The orange trees behind the door are laden with fruit this year; if they weren't still too sour, I would have brought some over for him to eat today.

The eldest and second eldest brothers were asking about how tough life was in the army, how tiring the daily training was, and how fierce the officers were at beating people.

Even my younger sister asked if they had such delicious food every day in the army.

Jiang Jinqiao only mentioned a few of the more serious issues mentioned above; he didn't mention anything about how he was so exhausted in the first few days after enlisting that he urinated blood, or how painful it was when his superiors slapped and kicked him.

Unbeknownst to him, the sixteen-year-old boy had also learned to only share good news with his family and not bad news.

The conversation continued until a bugle call sounded, signaling that it was time for the evening's visit and that everyone's family members needed to leave the barracks.

His father, who had made this clear to him when he entered the military camp, gave him a few more instructions before turning around and leaving with his mother, brother, and sister.

Watching the receding figure, Jiang Jinqiao felt an indescribable surge of emotions.

Finally, he uncontrollably shouted "Father, Mother" from his mouth; and then, the moment they stopped, he knelt down on the ground as if a mountain of gold had been pushed over or a jade pillar had been toppled.

He kowtowed nine times in one go, his forehead turning red on the pebbles.

This practice has also inspired countless new recruits to kneel down and kowtow to their parents, expressing their remorse in this traditional way...

Afterwards, Jiang Jinqiao and the others washed up briefly, and then lights out was sounded. They all went to bed and went to sleep.

But for a boy who is only sixteen years old, there is a deep sense of reluctance to leave his family and hometown, and anxiety about his future.

In addition, there is the desire of young people to make achievements and stand out from the crowd.

Furthermore, it was only after enlisting that the idea of ​​defending one's country began to take root, thanks to an hour of ideological training every night.

With all of the above combined, how could Jiang Jinqiao possibly sleep?

My first bout of insomnia occurred under these circumstances.

******
I was startled awake by the reveille and sat on the bed for seven or eight seconds.

Jiang Jinqiao shouted loudly, "Seventh Squad, everyone get up and wash up immediately; Commander Chen has instructed that the five-kilometer cross-country run this morning is canceled."

After breakfast, we immediately packed our bags and set off.

The next second, Lei Shiqiang also urged him on.

During basic training, the three good friends performed well and were valued by their superiors.

With a severe shortage of officers and non-commissioned officers, Jiang Jinqiao has now become the acting squad leader of the seventh squad, while Yao Zulao is the acting deputy squad leader.

As for their former friend Xu Heming, because he was only a junior high school graduate, he had a higher level of education and was more quick-witted. He not only participated in the second phase of the "Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment Officer Accelerated Training Course" run by Commander Hu and his comrades, but is now an acting deputy platoon leader.

Everything else was fine, but that Mauser pistol, which was only issued to officers, was something that Jiang Jinqiao and Lei Shiqiang were extremely envious of.

Afterwards, Jiang Jinqiao and his group quickly washed up.

After eating some steamed cakes, soy milk, fried dough sticks, and porridge for breakfast, the entire regiment of 5239 people lined up in the barracks, organized by battalion and company.

Everyone had just lined up with their weapons, which were out of ammunition, when Commander Mina and her men started distributing supplies.

Everyone has them, and the number is quite considerable.

Jiang Jinqiao, for example, received 100 rounds of 7.92mm rifle ammunition, three wooden-handled grenades, and one smoke grenade.

In addition, there was a new pair of straw sandals, a new pair of cloth shoes, three catties of rice, a sausage, and a piece of cured meat.

Although the sausages and cured meats each weigh only a pound, just a small piece can be steamed on top of rice to make a delicious dish.

What worried Jiang Jinqiao was hearing about their route for this expedition.

First, we boarded a ship at the South Gate Wharf, then sailed down the Fuyi River to Baoqing City; then we started walking, first passing through Loudi to Xiangtan, and then turning to Shacheng.

Even if we work day and night, we'll be on the ship for a day or two, which makes it inconvenient for everyone to cook rice.

However, Jiang Jinqiao's worries soon disappeared.

Just as Commander Mina and her men finished distributing the various supplies, Regiment Commander Hu, Chief of Staff An, County Magistrate Hou, Master Liu, and a group of local dignitaries and gentry appeared on a makeshift platform in front of them.

After some polite refusals, County Head Hou, as the local representative, addressed the group.

I heard that County Magistrate Hou was a college graduate who had studied abroad, so his speech was naturally quite sophisticated.

Unfortunately, it was a bit too literary, and Jiang Jinqiao hadn't slept well the night before, so he soon became drowsy and didn't pay attention to what he was saying.

Just as Jiang Jinqiao was about to fall asleep standing up, the situation changed.

After County Magistrate Hou waved his hand, a woman dressed in an embroidered cheongsam, with an exceptionally graceful figure, walked onto the stage carrying a large red lacquered plate.

When County Magistrate Hou picked it up and showed it to everyone, they realized that it was actually a battle flag with the character for "death".

Or perhaps it was simply a piece of white linen used to wrap a corpse.

On the burlap, there was a large character for "death," and next to it were some smaller characters:
I do not wish for you to be by my side to fulfill your filial duties; I only wish for you to be loyal to the nation and its people…

As he displayed the military flag in his hand, County Magistrate Hou addressed the crowd below:
"It is said that the elders of Sichuan are sensible and understand the big picture, knowing the principle of sacrificing their families for the country; before the Sichuan army went to war, the elders presented them with a battle flag with the character for death, which has become a beautiful story."

What Hou wanted to say was that although Xinning is a poor and remote place, the people of Xinning are no less capable than others and know this important matter.

Now, I present this battle flag bearing the character for "death," so that my brothers may use it to wipe away blood when wounded and to wrap their bodies after death, so that the people of our nation may know that there are no cowards among the sons of Xinning.

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Jinqiao and the others felt a jolt; they shouted in unison, "Rest assured, folks of our hometown, there are no cowards in Xinning!"

Immediately afterwards, an even louder voice rang out outside the military camp.

Before anyone knew it, a crowd of ten or twenty thousand people had gathered outside the military camp, and they all shouted in unison, "There are no cowards in Xinning!"

Amidst such deafening shouts, Commander Hu solemnly marked the battle flag with the character for "death," and replied to County Magistrate Hou, "Please rest assured, folks of my hometown, as long as I am here, the flag will stand."

As he spoke these words, his body was straight and upright, his features were as distinct as if carved by a knife, and he wore white gloves on his hands and a pair of tall riding boots that could be used as a mirror on his feet.

A gust of river wind blew by, causing his cloak to billow in the wind, making Hu Biao look extremely imposing at that moment.

Jiang Jinqiao and the other teenagers witnessed this, and only one thought crossed their minds: "This is how a true man should be..."

Unfortunately, when Hu Biao stood in the center of the stage to give a speech and encourage the brothers again, it was a pity.

Looking at those spirited young faces, I wondered how many would be able to return home alive after this battle.

Looking at all those elders outside, who had personally handed over their sons, brothers, and husbands to her, she knew they might never come back.

As a result, the thought of whether he would still have the face to return to his hometown filled him with a strange sense of desolation; the grand principles he had been talking about instantly vanished from his lips.

Fortunately, he also knew that now was not the time to be sentimental.

After taking a deep breath, he roared, "Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment, Hunan Provincial Supplementary Regiment, depart..."

Amid Hu Biao's long, drawn-out commands, a man who had just arrived yesterday afternoon, but who was now a deputy battalion commander because he had fought alongside Commander Hu in the bloody battles of southern Guangxi, was among those who arrived.

He also shouted, "First Company, First Battalion, march in step! Second and Third Companies, follow!"

Upon receiving the command, Jiang Jinqiao and his group immediately sprang into action, forming a line of six and marching forward with long strides.

They walked with their chests out and stomachs in, past the platform where Commander Hu and others solemnly saluted, and left the military camp where they had lived for half a month, heading towards the East Gate Wharf.

Along the way, both sides of the road were lined with villagers from Xinning.

The roadsides, rooftops, and trees were all packed with people; it seemed like the entire county had come.

They kept stuffing various boiled eggs, rice candy, salted duck eggs, peaches and plums—foods they themselves couldn't bear to eat—into their hands.

At first, Jiang Jinqiao remembered that his superiors had said that they should learn from Yue Fei's army, which had the military discipline of "not freezing to death rather than dismantling houses, and not starving to death rather than looting," so he quickly postponed it.

But how could one's own two hands compare to the actions of the villagers, who simultaneously stuffed things in with at least several hands?

Before long, Jiang Jinqiao found that his clothes and pants pockets, and even his homespun backpack, were stuffed with a lot of food. It seemed that he didn't have to worry about cooking while on the boat.

Jiang Jinqiao could only vaguely sense the affection conveyed through the food, yet he felt an inexplicable sense of responsibility.

When he was halfway there, someone suddenly called out his name, "Qiao Ya Zi." He turned around and saw his parents, two older brothers, and a younger sister calling out to him from the side of the road.

The eldest brother stretched out his arm, handing over a talisman while shouting:
"This amulet was brought back for you by your mother from Yuntai Temple in Bajiaozhai overnight. You must keep it safe; it can save your life."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinqiao almost burst into tears on the spot, because Yuntai Temple is an ancient temple with a history of a thousand years, and it is said that burning incense and praying to Buddha there is very effective.

However, Bajiaozhai, where it is located, is thirty or forty miles away from the county seat.

Last night, Mother must have gone straight to Bajiaozhai after leaving the military camp, obtained a talisman, and then returned immediately. She was busy all night long, which is how she was able to make it in time for my departure.

Thinking of this, the inexplicable sense of responsibility in his heart became even stronger.

After walking another hundred meters or so, they passed the only primary school in the county. Master Jiang was leading a hundred or so students of all ages. First, the scholar Gu Li bowed to them.

Then they all loudly recited a poem that Jiang Jinqiao had never heard before:

A man's ambition is to leave his hometown, vowing never to return until the Japanese pirates are defeated; though he may be buried in his native land, green hills are everywhere in the world...

However, it's normal that Jiang Jinqiao, who had studied at a private school for two years, hadn't heard of the poem above, since it was just a modified version of a poem titled "Inscription on the Wall" by the Song Dynasty monk Yuehe, written by Master Jiang.

Of course! It doesn't matter if you can't tell the difference; what matters is that the boy is 16 years old.

In a flash of insight, he finally understood something, truly grasping the significance of Commander Hu leading them on this expedition:
It was for bringing glory to one's ancestors, for getting promoted and making money, but even more so for driving out those Japanese devils, protecting this land left by our ancestors, and the compatriots on this land.

Overwhelmed with emotion, he forcefully raised one arm.

With a heavy Hunan accent, he shouted with all his might: "If China is to perish, the people of Fujian will be the first to die out."

As soon as the words fell, countless others echoed the same cry; it was the heartfelt roar of the Chinese people, driven to the brink of despair in this incredibly difficult era…

(End of this chapter)