Chapter 68 Where to Go and Where to Follow

  Half a month later, Han Hongxun bid farewell to Peng Youming.

  Although many of the wounded Korean travelers had not yet recovered from their injuries, Han Hongxun couldn't put down his brothers who stayed at home and insisted on going back.

  At this time, Yan Xiwen's injury had greatly improved, and he could walk without the help of others. When he heard that Han Hongxun was going to leave, he insisted on seeing him off for a while.

  Ye Tufei was naturally among those who came to see off Han Hongxun.

  After bidding farewell to everyone, Han Hongxun pulled Ye Tufei aside alone.

  "Brother, Old Han is leaving now, don't know when we can meet again!"

  "As long as I don't die and you're still alive, there will always be a chance for us to meet again."

  Han Hongxun burst out laughing and said: "Brother Ye, you're a cat, cats have nine lives, you can't die!"

  "Old Brother Han is wrong, I once observed the celestial phenomenon at night and found that Old Brother Han is actually the reincarnation of the heavenly cat god... uh..." Ye Tu Fei wanted to tease Han Hong Jun but couldn't find a suitable analogy for the time being.

  "Alright! Then let's just say we're both cats. " Han Hongxun laughed loudly, and after laughing, he asked Ye Tufei seriously: "Brother Ye has decided to stay here?"

  Ye Tu's heart skipped a beat as Han Hongxun's question hit the sore spot he had been trying to avoid thinking about for days but couldn't help but think about.

  "Can Old Han give his brother some advice?"

  Han Hongxun carefully sized up Ye Tufei and said with great solemnity: "With Brother Ye's talent, he should take on greater responsibilities. I'm not saying the Communist Party is bad, but after all, they lack guns and ammunition. Following them will restrict your abilities."

  Ye Tu Fei held his breath and listened attentively, nodding from time to time in agreement.

  "If you, Ye Lao Di, are willing to return to the National Army's ranks, I, Han Mou, will definitely fully recommend you to our superiors. My idea is that you come and be the division commander, and I, Han Hongxun, will assist you."

  Ye Tu Fei closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said: "A cat has nine lives, but only one heart. Old Han Ge, as a child of China, when the country is in trouble, as long as you do your best, it's enough. As for where you are, it doesn't matter. What do you think?"

  Hong Xun let out a long sigh and said, "Good one! Cats have nine lives but only one heart. Brother Ye, I understand what's on your mind. I admire you. From now on, if there's anything that requires my help, just speak up, brother."

  Ye Tufei bowed with his fists and said: "Tufei is here to thank Old Han Ge first."

  After seeing off Han Hongxun, Ye Tufei supported Yan Xiwen as they walked back. On the way, Yan Xiwen suddenly asked Ye Tufei: "What do you plan to do next?"

  Before Ye Tu Fei could respond, Yan Xi Wen muttered to himself: "By this calculation, my little sister should be arriving soon."

  Yan Xiwen's seemingly casual remark struck a chord in Ye Tuofei's heart, and for a moment, all he could see was the elegant and refreshing figure of Ouyang Xueping, and he accidentally stepped on air with one foot.

  Although Ye Tufei reacted extremely quickly, he was also caught off guard and stumbled. Unfortunately, Yan Xiwen was affected by Ye Tufei's stumble and fell to the ground.

  Ye Tu Fei quickly came over to support him.

  Yan Xiwen lay on the ground and refused to get up, saying: "Are you doing it on purpose or are you deliberately doing it?"

  Ye Tu Fei knew that Yan Xi Wen was joking with him, so he deliberately said: "How could I be doing it on purpose? It must be intentional."

  Yan Xiwen burst out laughing and said: "As soon as you mention my little sister, you become infatuated. Looking at your expression, it reminds me of the cat back in our old home."

  Ye Tu Fei helped Yan Xi Wen up and asked casually, "What's going on?"

  Yan Xiwen patted the dirt off his body and said, "You know, the cat from my hometown fell in love with a bird raised by the neighbor's family, and then it just stayed at the neighbor's house and wouldn't come back."

  Ye Tufei laughed and said: "Officer Yan is enlightening me! Then I'll just stay here and not leave?"

  Yan Xiwen glared at Ye Tufei and said, "What's going on here? What are you doing staying here? Xueping's workplace is not in the Yimeng Mountain base."

  Ye Tu Fei was confused and asked: "Then you said Xue Ping is almost here."

  Yan Xiwen replied, "We came to your base in Yimeng Mountain after suffering a defeat. Is this your territory? No! Don't you, Ye Liu, want to go back and settle the score with Gao Qiang, and avenge our fallen brothers?"

  Ye Tufei replied: "Of course! If I don't avenge this grudge, Ye Tufei will die with his eyes open!"

  Yan Xiwen said: "That's right, I just believe that Ye Liu is a heroic good fellow who repays kindness and avenges grievances quickly."

  Ye Tu Fei was a bit unclear about Yan Xi Wen's intentions, so he directly asked: "Brother Yan, just be straightforward and tell me what you want me to do? Or rather, what does Xue Ping want me to do? As long as I, Ye Tu Fei, can do it, I'll agree to everything."

  Yan Xiwen smiled, his smile full of ill intentions. "I wouldn't dare say that I, Yan Xiwen, hope you do this or that. Do I have the face to make demands on Ye Liu? You'd better listen carefully, I'm speaking for my sister!"

  Ye Tufei was about to be driven mad by Yan Xiwen, he glared at Yan Xiwen and threatened: "Since you know your face is not enough for Ye Liu Ye, why are you still talking so much nonsense? Hurry up, with this nagging, beware that Ye Liu Ye will tie up your meat ticket."

  Yan Xiwen had teased Ye Tufei enough, and now he put away his joking tone, saying seriously: "Join the revolutionary ranks! Under the leadership of the Communist Party, let's fight the Japanese to the end!"

  "Under the leadership of the Communist Party, under the leadership of the party." Ye Tu Fei muttered to himself, repeating Yan Xiwen's words, a familiar feeling surged up in his heart, "Hmm, I think, I am willing to accept your suggestion."

  Yan Xiwen resumed his joking tone and said: "It's not my suggestion, but Comrade Ouyang Xueping's suggestion to you."

  "Is there a difference?" Ye Tu Fei asked back.

  Yan Xiwen thought for a moment and said, "Well, if I say there is, I really can't think of any difference. If I say there isn't, I always feel like the difference is right there. Alas, whether or not there's a difference, I, Yan Xiwen, don't read much, so I won't be able to explain it clearly. You'd better experience it for yourself."

  Ye Tu Fei sighed: "If we're going to be together all day in the future, how can I survive?"

  Yan Xiwen was taken aback and asked: "What do you mean by that?"

  Ye Tu Fei sighed again and said, "Having a big poor mouth like Mu Xiucai is already enough for me to bear, I didn't expect that you, Yan Changguan, can match up to two Mu Xiucais."

  Yan Xiwen burst out laughing and said, "What's unbearable about a poor mouth? If you can't even bear a man's poor mouth, how will you tolerate a woman's nagging mouth?"

  Before Ye Tu Fei could react, Yan Xi Wen added another sentence: "My sister is the most famous nag in a hundred miles around!"

  Peng Youming was very pleased with Ye Tufei's attitude.

  At first, when Yan Xiwen recommended Ye Tufei to Peng Youming, he didn't think much of Ye Tufei. Peng Youming thought that Ye Tufei was just a somewhat capable bandit leader who had won a battle by chance. These things couldn't prove that Ye Tufei had anything special about him, and weren't enough to make the organization use Wei Dong, who was hiding within the Japanese army, to rescue Ye Tufei.

  However, Yan Xiwen persisted in his own views, and he repeatedly suggested to Peng Youming that they should even hold an enlarged meeting of the Xuzhou Prefectural Committee to discuss the matter of Ye Tufei.

  For this matter, Peng Youming was very heartbroken at that time. In the end, he failed to persuade Yan Xiwen and agreed with his suggestion.

  Afterwards, Peng Youming and Ye Tufei became more familiar with each other and realized the value of Ye Tufei, especially in this battle half a month ago. Ye Tufei showed his tactical thinking and command art that ordinary people couldn't compare to.

  Peng Youming finally changed his perception of Ye Tufei, from a dispensable thought to an indispensable idea.

  However, Peng Youming's current situation makes it impossible for him to make any promises to Ye Tufei.

  Although Gao Qiao's ancient tomb plan did not achieve its predetermined goal, it was a huge loss for the anti-Japanese armed forces in Xuzhou, and almost paralyzed. For this reason, Peng Youming took responsibility as the leader and requested disciplinary action from the organization. The organization temporarily suspended Peng Youming from work without summarizing the incident at that time.

  However, Ye Tufei's matter cannot be delayed. Peng Youming decided that he would once again violate discipline and, as a suspended official, propose to the organization to absorb Ye Tufei into the revolutionary ranks.

  The organization quickly gave Peng Youming a reply, saying that the party's principle is to unite all forces that can be united. If Ye Tufei is truly willing to join the party's revolutionary ranks, the party welcomes him. However, necessary screening work is also indispensable. Given the current situation of the Xuzhou Prefectural Committee, it is suggested that comrades from the Yimeng base area take charge of the screening work.

  After the organization's opinion was conveyed, Yan Xiwen was unhappy and took the initiative to find Peng Youming.

  "Old Peng, what's the meaning of this organization?" Yan Xiwen sat down in front of Peng Youming with a thud, and he, who never smoked before, actually lit up a cigarette. He took a match from Peng Youming's desk and struck three times before lighting the cigarette.

  Peng Youming hastily leaned his body back to avoid the smoke spat out by Yan Xiwen, "What's wrong with you? It's like you've eaten a firecracker! Do I owe you money?"

  Yan Xiwen was choked by smoke, coughing violently several times, and said: "Ye Tufei is our Xuzhou Party Committee's matter, why do we need to let the Yimeng base area comrades come and do the identification work? Isn't this clearly a sign of distrust towards you and me?"

  Peng Youming remained silent, his eyes following Yan Xiwen's smoke as it drifted away.

  "Can you say something? You are the secretary of Xuzhou Prefectural Committee, give me a clear answer, has our Xuzhou Prefectural Committee been merged into the Yimeng Base Area?"

  Peng Youming stretched out his hand and said to Yan Xiwen: "Hand it over!"

  Yan Xiwen was taken aback and said, "What?"

  Peng Youming took a deep breath and said, "Cigarette!"

  Yan Xiwen couldn't help but laugh, although the smile was filled with bitterness. "How did you start smoking again? Didn't you quit already?"

  Peng Youming took the cigarette handed over by Yan Xiwen and replied, "Seeing you waste good cigarettes like this, it pains me."

  It's been a few days since I've bothered you all here, you know what Old Smoke means, hurry up and take it away...