Chapter 2: No Escape
The gunfire stopped, the panicked cries in the cellblock rose to a crescendo, and the thick smoke refused to dissipate. The pungent smell of gunpowder mixed with the heavy stench of blood was suffocating. The handcuffs and shackles on the prisoners were hastily unlocked, and nearly 100 people who had narrowly escaped death fled under the command of Mr. Zhang and the Red Guards.
Wu Ming left with the support of two fellow inmates, treading through puddles of blood and struggling to walk out of the hellish prison cell, the dazzling sunlight making it hard for people to open their eyes.
The red earth in front of the temple was littered with corpses, some with their heads blown off by bullets, others with their chests and abdomens pierced by large knives with internal organs spilling out, and one with a gruesome skull that had been chopped off by a large knife, its face turned towards the sky. Wu Ming, still in shock, couldn't catch his breath for long, as the city was once again filled with cries of wailing and rolling thick smoke.
As several knife-wielding men rushed in, the small courtyard immediately fell into chaos. Amidst the shouting, Wu Ming was swept away by the crowd and ran wildly westward, continuing to flee along the riverbank after escaping through the western gate until they finally stopped panting in front of the ancestral hall at the foot of Wangjia Mountain.
Wu Ming struggled to get up from the chaotic crowd that had fallen to the ground, only to discover that the cloth strip used to bind his broken arm had been torn off at some point. The wound on his head had split open, and he was in so much pain that he was gritting his teeth and almost passed out, unable to make a sound even when he wanted to shout.
Gunfire erupted densely in the city, and the people who were lying on the ground gasping for breath scrambled up in a flurry of terror, gazing around wildly. A young man carrying an old rifle rushed from outside the west gate and hastily reported to Mr. Zhang, who was anxious, and another middle-aged man.
Wu Ming, who was on the side, didn't know until he had listened for a long time that the enemy troops who were beaten out of Shangrao by Fang Zhimin's Yiyang County Red Guard Brigade had begun to counterattack. The wounded and defeated county magistrate Wang Donghan and garrison commander Yang Zisheng led their remaining forces to escape from the east gate, soon joining forces with the Lingxi Town Militia who came to reinforce from the east. Both sides immediately gathered their troops together, mobilized more than 200 people and guns, offered a heavy reward, turned around and attacked back into the county seat through the East Gate.
Mr. Zhang and the Red Guard liaison person next to him briefly consulted and immediately ordered the collection of wounded personnel to prepare for withdrawal. Wu Ming quickly added a tattered long shirt, with the help of a fellow prisoner, hastily re-bandaging his broken arm and slinging it over his chest.
Wu Ming slowly got up, his body aching all over, and gazed blankly at the county town where huge fires were raging. The onlookers nearby began to discuss excitedly, some saying that the county government office was on fire, others claiming that the fires seemed to be coming from the residences of County Magistrate Wang Donghan and several wealthy merchants. As for whether the fire would spread to the surrounding civilian homes, no one bothered to worry about it. Wu Ming, who was preoccupied with his own concerns, didn't have the energy to think about it either.
Suddenly, nearly a hundred prisoners who had escaped from their cages fled in the midst of a loud shout, and the two fellow escapees who had been carrying Wu Ming to safety just moments before were also gone. The only fellow prisoner left beside him whispered to Wu Ming: "They've all run away! I recognized the big-bearded man leading the way as Shan Dawai, nicknamed 'Mountain Tiger'."
"You... why don't you run?" Wu Ming asked with concern.
"My old man has no home, no money, and only one life to live. Where can he go? Might as well follow the Communist Party, at least they have a lot of people, knives, and guns. If we're lucky, we might even get through this alive and eat a few full meals." The exhausted fellow finished speaking, saw that Wu Ming was fine, and turned to leave.
Wu Ming gazed out at the county town, which was shrouded in thick smoke and flames, feeling that the series of events over the past two days were like a dream. If it weren't for the throbbing pain from his swollen head and the arm he had hastily reattached, he wouldn't have dared to believe that he was still alive, let alone living in this unbelievable chaotic world.
The distant gunfire continued, the old city in the field of vision was extremely real, as real as the constant pain that pierced his bones, like these unfamiliar hands full of scars and cracked bare feet.
In a daze, Wu Ming subconsciously rubbed his swollen eyes, blinked repeatedly and gazed around blankly. In the distance, he vaguely saw the dilapidated remains of the old city wall, the disorderly and low-rise tile houses, the uneven and winding narrow roads, as well as the continuous mountain ranges in the distance.
Thick smoke billowed in the sky above Shangrao County, ash danced in the air. Flocks of frightened wild birds wailed as they flew northward. The dirty intersections and among the ruins, it was hard to see even a human shadow, only a few stray dogs tucked their tails and wailed as they fled.
The sound of gunfire grew closer and closer, with thirty or so men carrying long guns or large knives sprinting towards the front yard where Wu Ming stood, quickly passing by the pond in front. Every face was stained with gunpowder, panting and sweating profusely. Several people put down the wounded on their backs, sat down on the ground, and gasped for breath urgently. The others rushed to surround the wounded and shouted loudly.
Inside the temple, chaotic footsteps came in waves, and the red guards in colorful clothes quickly gathered around. The middle-aged man wearing a gray patched military uniform, who was walking in front, jumped onto the stone table, pulled out his voice and announced to the crowd: "Comrades, the enemy has received reinforcements from the Lingxi civilian team on the east side, now the enemy is numerous and we are few, in order to preserve our strength, the party committee's emergency meeting decided: temporarily give up occupying Shangrao City, withdraw back to the base area and continue the revolution, comrades immediately make preparations for withdrawal!
A middle-aged man jumped down from the stone table, and suddenly there was a flurry of activity inside and outside the temple.
Mr. Zhang conferred with the middle-aged Han man who gave the order for a few sentences, then hastily came to Wu Ming's side, examined the new bandages wrapped around Wu Ming's arm and head, straightened his waist and adjusted his glasses: "Brother Wu, I originally wanted to take you with me, but the enemy is coming too fast and in large numbers. It's not good, we may still have to fight on our way back, so I can only leave you here."
Seeing Wu Ming's swollen face without any reaction, Mr. Zhang shook his head and said worriedly: "The evil gentry of Huanggu Town framed you for secretly communicating with the Communist Party, and this time our troops attacked the city and prison, killing many enemy officers and soldiers and evil gentry, and taking away the property of the Kuomintang county magistrate and several evil gentry. They must be furious and want revenge, so in the near future, you absolutely cannot go home, follow the comrades and wounded we left behind to hide in the mountains for a while. As for what to do later, let's talk about it after you recover from your injuries. Our Communist Party troops are the troops of the laboring people who suffer greatly, and when you recover from your injuries, we welcome such a young man with great grievances to join us."
Wu Ming's emotions were particularly complicated, his mouth moved but he couldn't make a sound.
Mr. Zhang laughed: "Don't worry, just get through this hurdle and it'll be fine, I believe we'll meet again, there aren't many young people as strong as you are! Ha ha! By the way, can you read?"
Wu Ming's mind was in a state of utter confusion, and he didn't know how to respond.
Mr. Zhang smiled softly and said, "It doesn't matter, many comrades in our team are illiterate, but it didn't stop us from making revolution and turning over a new leaf. You're still young, if you have the chance, it's better to study culture, it will be beneficial for your future life."
Wu Ming nodded vaguely, and Mr. Zhang supported him to a stretcher, instructing the stout middle-aged man who had run over: "Old Song, this Brother Wu is a local, framed by the corrupt officials of Huanggu Town for being a Communist sympathizer, and suffered all sorts of torture in prison without giving up, he's a real man. Today I entrust him to your comrades from Shangrao, let him temporarily move with the wounded into the mountains, time is pressing, don't worry about the rest for now, hurry up and go!"
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of him." Old Song replied loudly, calling on his subordinates to carry the wounded man and set off immediately, and finally personally escorted Wu Ming away in a hurry.
Following the stretcher for over a dozen steps to the north, Wu Ming suddenly turned around, gently pushing away Old Song who was supporting him. He turned his body and gazed deeply at Mr. Zhang who was seeing him off, gritting his teeth in pain and bowing deeply to thank him.
Mr. Zhang smiled and waved goodbye: "Hurry up, we'll meet again someday, take care!"
The green pine not far away saw this scene, instructed his partner a few words, and quickly came to Mr. Zhang's side and stood still, looking at Old Song supporting Wu Ming walking away with some emotion: "This kid is quite polite, looks like a sentimental person, it was worth saving him once."
"Yes! Even with such injuries, he hasn't forgotten his manners. I think he's a good seedling with potential for cultivation. If it weren't for his severe injuries making it inconvenient for him to move around, I'd really like to take him with me." Mr. Zhang sighed in admiration.
Qing Song wiped the sweat from his face with a puzzled expression, staring at Mr. Zhang: "Won't be? Until now, I haven't heard this kid say more than three sentences, what's so great about him that you value him so much?"
"He's not stupid, probably just hurt too badly and hasn't recovered yet. Let's go."
Mr. Zhang turned around and walked with Qing Song towards the Red Guards who were constantly withdrawing, soon mixed in with more than 100 Red Guards holding rifles, bird guns and long-handled big knives, rushing westward like the wind.
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Sixteen kilometers north of the city, Taiping Ridge.
Night falls, and the big fire and thick smoke in the south of the county can no longer be seen. Under the night sky, the mountains are like a dark green jade, and the rustling sound of the wind passing through the bamboo forest echoes throughout the mountain.
The fugitives had turned over three river bends, crossed five small hills, and finally climbed to the top of Taiping Ridge. Old Song, panting, helped Wu Ming sit down under a big tree by the road to rest, then turned around and ran down the mountain ridge to help his exhausted companions carry the stretcher.
Wu Ming's whole body was soaked, his consciousness was dizzy and his breathing was rapid. He clutched his left arm, which had a displaced fracture, in agony, curled up at the base of the tree, groaning incessantly.
Old Song quickly came back, stretched out his rough big hand to support Wu Ming's head, and handed him a bamboo tube filled with mountain spring water: "You have to grit your teeth and hold on, first drink some water and take a breath, then continue walking. This place is not safe, we need to walk another seven miles to the other side of Taijin Mountain before we can rest. Only when we arrive at our destination can we settle down."
Wu Ming drank half a bamboo tube of water with Lao Song's help and endured the severe pain, whispering his thanks: "Thank you! I can hold on."
Old Song's face cracked a smile, his wrinkles almost twisted together: "You're from Huanggu Town? How come I've never seen you?"
Wu Ming lowered his head and searched through the vague impressions in his mind: "I am... in Wujiacun..."
Old Song thought for a moment and nodded slightly: "Wu's Village? I remember, from the town heading west for more than three miles, after crossing the Shegong Mountain, it's not far, your village is about five miles north of Wu's Valley. More than ten years ago, the Wu family clan moved to the south river bay to build Wu's Valley, and there were only a few households left in your village, right? In the 15th year of the Republic of China, I went to your village to collect tea oil and mountain goods, haha! Okay, bear with it for a moment and slowly get up, sitting down again will make you unable to move. Let's settle down in a safe place in the mountains and talk more, maybe I know someone from your family."
Old Song strode away, walking to the middle of the open space in front, and loudly ordered his men to light the torches.
Several men quickly brought out the fire starters, struck matches to light the oil-smoke wreathed torches made of pine branches, and the dark mountain valley was suddenly brightened.
"Bang——bang bang bang——"
The sudden gunshot shook the mountains and valleys, causing the night birds to fly in fright. Old Song's head burst into a cloud of blood as he stood between two torches, his body suddenly falling backwards. The group of men beside him had not yet reacted when they fell to the ground one after another amidst another round of gunfire. The heartbreaking cries echoed for a long time.
The stealthy pursuing troops launched a surprise attack, shouting in unison as they rushed up the mountain pass, their cries and gunfire growing louder and closer.
Witnessing the tragic scene, Wu Ming was extremely terrified and instinctively moved towards the back of a large tree. However, his hands lost their grip on the ground, causing his entire body to fall into a pit behind the tree. His head hit the stone wall, and he immediately fainted.
After dozens of minutes, the dozens of pursuers who had successfully attacked rushed up to the mountain pass and shouted loudly. The head of the government army gave an order, and all the Red Guards members who were killed or wounded on the ground, together with the four wounded men on the stretcher, were beheaded without exception.
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