Chapter 20: Fight to the Death (Part 1)

  ument.write(

  January 30, 1938, in Chongqing, it was snowing heavily, and the cold winter weather made people wear thick cotton-padded clothes when going out.

  "Xiao Ting, don't be late for the alumni meeting this afternoon." Xue Meiting's good friend, Qian Shanshan, who was originally a classmate at Fudan University, reminded her with a smile.

  Originally, Fudan University President Zhang Xingguo, in early January, sent an invitation letter to the old alumni who had escaped to Chongqing. In this era of war and chaos, being able to see former students again in Chongqing was a truly exciting thing.

  Since Xu Meiting escaped from Nanjing and fled to Chongqing, she had been living in her good friend Qian Shanshan's home. Qian Shanshan was originally from Chongqing, and her parents were businesspeople, so their family was relatively wealthy. Although the country was going through difficult times, they were still able to get by.

  Xu Meiting's parents had gone missing before Suzhou fell, and as their daughter, she was naturally very anxious. However, what's the use of just being anxious? In this era of war and chaos, it's normal for family members to be separated.

  At one o'clock in the afternoon, Xu Meiting and Qian Shanshan arrived at Fudan University's campus in Chongqing. Principal Zhang Xingguo arranged for these old alumni to meet in a large classroom on campus.

  When they came into the classroom, there were already many alumni who had graduated in previous years sitting there, and even several of them were their classmates.

  "Xu Tangfei, Zhang Fuming!" Xu Meiting exclaimed excitedly as soon as she saw her old classmates.

  "Xu Meiting, Qian Shanshan? Ah, it's you guys! That's great, I didn't expect to see you here, it's really great!" Xu Tangfei said excitedly.

  Xu Meiting met old friends in a foreign land and was overjoyed. Everyone sat together, starting to chat freely about everything under the sun.

  "Do you still keep in touch with other classmates?" Xu Meiting asked Xudangfei.

  "Relationships are relationships, but now there really aren't many people who can truly connect with you. I heard a few classmates have already... Ah!" Xu Tang sighed endlessly.

  Yes, in these turbulent times, being alive is already quite good.

  "Are you still in touch with your brothers from your original dormitory?" Xu Meiting asked again.

  "We were still in touch before, oh, and I even received a letter from Lao Da recently," Zhang Fuming said.

  "Oh, really? Didn't Jiang Cheng also join the army?" Qian Shanshan interrupted.

  "Yes, Old Big is now a regiment commander in the 59th Army of the First Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army. The battles are frequent and they keep moving around, no one knows where they are fighting now." Xu Tangfei said.

  "Ah, this damned era!" Xu Meiting said with utmost melancholy.

  "Mei Ting, I heard that when the Central News Agency withdrew from Nanjing, you didn't follow along. So how did you end up coming to Chongqing later?" Zhang Fuming asked.

  "This is a long story!" Xu Meiting was just about to speak when she heard a familiar voice: "Meiting, it's great to see you here, how are you?"

  The newcomer's sunny and handsome appearance was just like Zhou Junsheng, the "God of Decline" who was known for his ability to make prostitutes fall in love with him.

  "It's none of your business whether I'm good or not." As soon as Xu Meiting saw Zhou Junsheng, her face fell.

  "Hey, hey, Meiting, don't be angry anymore, okay? I've already broken up with that woman, really." Zhou Junsheng said awkwardly.

  "What business is it of yours whether I've cut ties with that woman or not?" Xu Meiting said, still not giving him a good face.

  "Ah, Brother Junsheng, who is this...?" At this time, a burly man in his thirties standing next to Zhou Junsheng pointed at Xu Meiting and asked with a smile.

  "Ah, look at me, I forgot to introduce him. Come on, Mei Ting, let me introduce you. This is General Wang Donghai, the commander of a certain brigade in the 36th Division of our national army's elite troops. He was just promoted at the beginning of the year and has participated in the Battle of Shanghai and the Defense of Nanjing. He's a seasoned general who has been through many battles." Zhou Junsheng felt proud to have such a friend.

  At this moment, Principal Zhang Xingguo walked into the classroom and looked at the graduates who came to attend the alumni reunion. There were only thirty or forty people now, thinking that so many students had graduated in previous years, and now they could meet again in Chongqing, there were only these few dozen people, it was really moving.

  When the principal arrived, everyone stood up and applauded. Principal Zhang pressed his hand to signal for everyone to sit down, then said: "Fellow students, I am overjoyed to see you all again in Chongqing during these tumultuous times. The Japanese invasion has caused many of us to lose our loved ones and homes. Many of us have left our hometowns and come to Chongqing with a heavy heart, and we are all aware of the pain and hardship that comes with it. Today's alumni reunion is an opportunity for everyone to reunite with old classmates and friends, share their innermost thoughts and feelings, and perhaps ease some of the sorrow in our hearts. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and this year's Spring Festival is the first since the full-scale war between China and Japan began. Let us not let the shadow of war affect our mood; instead, let us celebrate the new year with joy and happiness. I have booked a banquet at Fumanlou, and we will all gather there for dinner tonight. In advance, I wish you all a happy new year."

  "Waaah, those Japanese devils killed my family, I must make them pay for their lives with blood!" a small girl said, wiping away her tears.

  Soon, the girl's experience reminded many people of sad past events and they all cried sadly.

  "Don't be too sad, everyone!" Wang Donghai said, standing up and seeing his old schoolmates in tears.

  "Who are you?" Principal Zhang Xingguo obviously couldn't recall when this person graduated.

  "Professor Zhang, have you forgotten? I am Wang Donghai, a student who graduated from Fudan University in 1927." Wang Donghai gave Zhang Xingguo a military salute.

  "Principal, Wang Donghai is now a major general and brigade commander of the 36th Division of the National Army. He participated in the Battle of Shanghai and the Defense of Nanjing." Zhou Junsheng introduced to Zhang Xingguo at the right moment.

  "Oh, so it's a general of the National Army!" Zhang Xingguo stood up respectfully.

  "Fellow students, rest assured that the blood debt owed by the devils in our China will definitely be repaid with their own blood. Our 36th Division has inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy on the Songhu Battlefields and during the defense of Nanjing, making the Japanese army dare not to look at our Central China region." Wang Donghai said proudly.

  "King Travlong, do you think your 36th Division is powerful or the 77th Corps of the National Revolutionary Army's First Group Army is more powerful?" A young man wearing glasses asked. As soon as he mentioned the 77th Corps, his whole body began to tremble with excitement, after all, the achievement of killing King Travlong was unprecedented (or was it really unprecedented? It seemed that in 1895 when Japanese troops entered Taiwan, Prince Kitashirakawa no Miya Yoshihisa, brother of Emperor Meiji of Japan, was also killed by Taiwanese militia).

  Looking at everyone present, after hearing the reputation of the 77th Army, they all showed a respectful expression. Wang Donghai said with great dissatisfaction: "What is the 77th Army? It's not a central army, it's a local miscellaneous army, how can it be compared to our 36th Division, the king of kings, the elite of the elite troops? Didn't you see that the 77th Army abandoned the city and fled? The 77th Army is just a cowardly army! It's just a show-off of a mediocre hero!"

  "Nonsense!" Xu Meiting said with a red face, "Compared to the 77th Army, your so-called main force is just a bunch of useless trash!"

  "How dare you!" Wang Donghai never expected that a little girl would actually dare to challenge him.

  "I must make it clear today, I won't let you slander the 77th Army." Xu Meiting stood up straight and said, "I am a refugee from Nanjing to Chongqing, I know the whole process of the Battle of Nanjing. You said that your 36th Division bravely fought against the Japanese in the Battle of Nanjing? I don't see it. What I know is that on November 10th, 1937, after the Nanjing Garrison Command issued a withdrawal order, your 36th Division was ordered to cross the river and destroyed all the remaining ships, completely disregarding the brother units, leaving tens of thousands of soldiers from the National Revolutionary Army's 87th Division, 88th Division, and Training General Headquarters on the verge of death at the hands of the Japanese devils. If it weren't for the timely arrival of the 77th Army the next day, the tens of thousands of troops there would have been finished off. The 77th Army fought a decisive battle with the brutal Japanese devils after entering the city, their soldiers charged forward bravely, knowing they would die but still fighting on. In the battle to defend the safety zone, I personally saw a battalion of soldiers facing a stronger enemy, making a desperate last stand, and not surrendering until the very end. Their officers led everyone in singing a morale-boosting military song before dying, determined to take some enemies down with them." Xu Meiting's eyes welled up with tears as she spoke.

  "What military song?" Principal Zhang Xingguo asked.

  "Mei Ting, is it that 'Defend the Country Battle Song'?" Xu Tangfei heard it was a military song and thought of the "Defend the Country Battle Song" from back then.

  "No, this song is called 'Chinese Military Soul'," said Xu Meiting.

  "What's 'Chinese Military Soul' like? How does it go?" Qian Shanshan, who was quite fond of music, asked Xu Meiting with great interest.

  "Do you want to hear? Alright, I was in Nanjing at that time, and to drive away the fear in my heart, I sang this song repeatedly, so I remember it quite clearly: If our motherland is invaded, brave sons should rise up; drink up this bowl of hometown wine, heroes will not return. The rolling Yellow River, the surging Yangtze River, give me life and give me strength, let blood stain the most beautiful flower red, sprinkle on my chest; The national flag waves, the military horn sounds, the sword is out of its sheath, thunder rumbles and lightning flashes; It has always been that the brave win when meeting on a narrow road, move forward, the national flag waves, the military horn sounds, the sword is out of its sheath, thunder rumbles and lightning flashes; It has always been that the brave win when meeting on a narrow road, move forward, move forward, move forward, Chinese military soul! The red flag is a taboo for the Kuomintang, so Xu Meiting changed it to "the national flag waves".

  Shocking, absolutely shocking!

  Principal Zhang Xingguo murmured to himself, "If the motherland is invaded, hot-blooded men should strengthen themselves... It has always been that on a narrow road, the brave win. What a great song! If our army can really be like what's sung in the lyrics, it will be an iron and blooded army!"

  "The 77th Army is such a force, and the army's soul was forged by the character of its first commander." Xu Meiting said calmly.

  "Who was their first leader?" Zhang Xingguo said.

  "Yes, their first commander was Major General Liu Zhenfeng. This iron-blooded military song was written by Major General Liu Zhenfeng for his troops."

  "Xiao Ba? Impossible?" Xu Tang exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. Although he didn't know the surname of the commander of the 77th Army, Liu something, but now that he had heard from Xu Mei Ting's mouth that the iron-blooded commander was actually Xiao Ba, how could he not be shocked?

  "General Liu Zhenfeng? Why does that sound somewhat familiar?" Zhang Xingguo said, "It seems like I've seen him before."

  "The principal, he was also an alumnus of our school, graduated in the 24th year of the Republic of China," said Xu Meiting. "The song 'Defend the Country Battle Song' was written by him, and this 'Chinese Army Soul' was also spread among the troops by him."

  "Ah, I remember now, Liu Zhenfeng. Yes, it's him. This kid has really made a name for himself." Zhang Xingguo suddenly realized.

  "I met him in Nanjing, he once told his soldiers that their army was the Wild Wolf Army, a iron-blooded teacher who traveled thousands of miles and ate meat from thousands of miles away. Once the precious sword is out of its scabbard, if it doesn't shed blood within seven steps, they will never stop. He also told his warriors that although our country is weak and our equipment is far behind the Japanese enemy, as long as our patriotic heart does not die and our national soul is not destroyed, we will definitely achieve the final victory. Now, as a soldier, there is only one way to fight to the death. What is fighting to the death? It means that even if you die, you must still fight, die on the battlefield, and be wrapped in horsehide after death, which is the highest honor for soldiers and also their long-cherished wish." Xu Meiting said with a sigh.

  "Hmm..." Major General Wang Donghai, who had nothing to say, could only hum a sound to express his dissatisfaction.

  "Grape wine, night light cup, want to drink pipa horse urged. Drunk sleep battlefield don't laugh, ancient come war how many people return." Zhang Fu was reciting aloud the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Han's "Liangzhou Ci", the atmosphere on the scene was quite depressing.

  "But, but Liu Zhenfeng is now paying the price for his recklessness! Look, originally the defense of Nanjing had nothing to do with their 77th Army, he didn't have to go to Nanjing and take this risk. This time he disobeyed military orders, without clear instructions from the Military Commission, he dispatched troops to Nanjing on his own, and even killed the Japanese Emperor's uncle, Prince Yasuhiko Asaka. Now the problem has arisen, hasn't it? The Japanese have concentrated 15 or 16 elite divisions to attack Nanjing, nearly 300,000 troops, more than the number of troops deployed during the Battle of Shanghai, while inside Nanjing city, there are only a few tens of thousands of people in his 77th Army, isn't this like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, seeking self-destruction?"

  Zhou Junsheng saw that Wang Donghai was a bit at a loss for words and wanted to help him out.

  "It's so helpless to know that something can't be done but still doing it!" Principal Zhang Xingguo sighed.

  "I think Liu Zhenfeng is willing to take this risk for the sake of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Nanjing. It's impossible to defend Nanjing, and I think Liu Zhenfeng should know that. However, he doesn't want to see hundreds of thousands of people slaughtered, so he risked his life to go to Nanjing to buy time for the evacuation of ordinary people. In fact, that's exactly what he did. But this time, the Japanese army used a triple encirclement, with the obvious intention of annihilating our 77th Army. Now there is no news from the Nanjing side, and we don't know if the 77th Army has escaped or not. It's possible that the 77th Army will be wiped out in Nanjing!" Zhang Xingguo said helplessly.

  "The 77th Army will definitely break through, it will!" Xu Meiting said firmly: "A iron-blooded army that is regarded as a devilish army and a bloodthirsty army by the Japanese army, before they have finished drinking the enemy's blood, will not fall. This army is a majestic Northeast Tiger, no matter how difficult the situation is, its tiger power still exists, it can be said that with one angry roar from the Emperor, the red blood will flow for thousands of miles, and Little Japan simply does not dare to think about devouring this iron-blooded army."

  "Oh, oh, oh, you little girl really do care about the 77th Army, don't you? Who is that Liu Zhenfeng to you, anyway? Your boyfriend? I'm telling you, Junsheng, it seems like your sister's heart belongs to someone else." Wang Donghai said with a sarcastic tone.

  "I... this... Mei Ting, you really are..." Zhou Junsheng was completely incoherent.

  Xu Meiting ignored Zhou Junsheng and shouted loudly: "Long live China! Long live the Chinese nation! Down with Japanese imperialism!"

  "Down with Japanese imperialism!"

  Chants echoed through Fudan University campus...