Volume 1: First Battle Chapter 21: Punishment

  Whether a person is brave or not doesn't necessarily have to be demonstrated on the battlefield!

  "Release him!" Zhang Zizhong gave the order decisively.

  "Master..." Hearing this, Fang Ruan and Xuan Wu couldn't help but feel a bit anxious, hastily rushing forward to dissuade him: "Just let them go like that... what if the Japanese investigate..."

  "Let them come find me!" Zhang Zizhong responded without hesitation.

  "Yes!" Seeing Zhang Zizhong's attitude, Ruan Xuanwu had no choice but to wave his hand and let his men release us.

  Before the soldiers of the 39th Brigade could untie us, Chi Pai-chang and others rushed up and quickly cut off our bonds with their bayonets.

  "How was it? What were the results?" Xu Lianchang asked anxiously while untying me.

  "There should be around forty or fifty devils knocked down!" Because it was a night battle, and I was also very nervous, so I didn't know how many Japanese were killed.

  "It's a whole fifty miles!" The old squad leader chimed in: "And another iron turtle (tank) was also blown up!"

  "Good job, little brother!" Chi Pai Zhang slapped me hard on the shoulder: "As a Chinese person, you should do it like this. I, your elder brother, stand on your side..."

  As he spoke, his eyes swept over the officers and soldiers of the 39th Brigade, saying: "We are not like some people who are soft-boiled eggs in front of the little Japanese, but mighty and powerful in front of our own people!"

  "What did you say?" The warriors of the 39th Brigade were not fools, they could naturally hear the implicit meaning in Chi Pai Zhang's words, and immediately several people rushed up to find trouble with Chi Pai Zhang.

  "What? Am I wrong?" Chi Pai Zhang was also a hot-tempered person, and immediately led the soldiers to charge forward without giving an inch.

  "Stop it, all of you!" Zhang Zizhong yelled at them in a somewhat hysterical tone: "The great enemy is before us, yet you're fighting among yourselves? Aren't the people's suffering and the country's hardships enough? If you have the guts, take your temper out on the little devils instead!"

  As soon as Zhang Zizhong let out this loud shout, all the soldiers fell silent. Anyone could tell that this time Zhang Zizhong was really furious.

  I can actually understand Zhang Zizhong's current mood, on the one hand, he is being scolded by the people of Beiping as a traitor and a running dog, on the other hand, he still has to bear the pressure to negotiate with the Japanese, and now he also finds that there are many problems within his own army... even if it's an iron man in this situation would be crushed, let alone he is just an ordinary person with flesh and blood.

  Zhang Zizhong's expression looked terrible, he wanted to scold again but didn't know what else to say, after a long time he let out a deep sigh and waved his hand saying: "All of you return to your own posts, no more causing trouble!"

  "Yes!"

  The warriors responded with a loud voice and quickly dispersed everywhere, but only I remained motionless on the spot, because I still had something to say to Zhang Zizhong. I couldn't let the 39th Brigade fall into the hands of Little Japan! But when it really came to this moment, I didn't know what to say again.

  Are you saying Yuan Xuanwu is going to betray us? I have no evidence and no basis, what makes you say that?

  Are you going to confront Ruan Xianwu? Of course, he won't admit that he's thinking of being a traitor in his heart. Moreover, he is a brigade commander and a good friend of Zhang Zizhong, while I am just a small soldier. Who will Zhang Zizhong choose to believe?

  "Hey!" Just as I was in a difficult situation, Zhang Zizhong rushed towards me and nodded his head, ordering: "Are you their squad leader?"

  I hastily ran up three steps and two steps, saluted and said: "Yes, Master!"

  "Hmm!" Perhaps it was because of the bloodstains on my face, Zhang Zizhong didn't recognize me until now. He looked at me for a while and asked uncertainly: "Are you... aren't you the one who came up with the idea to set fire to the Japanese army's..."

  "Yes, sir!" I stood up straight and replied: "Company 1, Battalion 2, Platoon 2, Squad Leader reporting for duty, sir!"

  "Hmm!" Zhang Zizhong's expression eased slightly, and he nodded before ordering: "Follow me!"

  "Yes!" I hastily replied, as I was just thinking of finding an opportunity to talk to Zhang Zizhong, and unexpectedly the opportunity came knocking on my door.

  Following Zhang Zizhong and his guards, they walked forward all the way. Along the way, there were fully armed sentries standing guard, saluting one after another. Zhang Zizhong also mechanically returned the salute all the way, sometimes even too lazy to return the salute, just slightly nodding his head towards the sentry.

  It can be seen that the current situation has almost collapsed this historically famous anti-war general... However, if I were in his position, I'm afraid I would have abandoned this mess and run far away. Zhang Zizhong didn't leave, not only did he not leave but also persisted in commanding until the last moment, from this point it can be seen that he had extraordinary courage and perseverance.

  Whether a person is brave or not does not necessarily have to be demonstrated on the battlefield, Zhang Zizhong's experience is a clear proof of this!

  Before long, we arrived at a flat-roofed house made of reinforced concrete. On the wall hung a map, and in the center was a combat sand table. The rooms were filled with the noise of telegrams and telephone calls. What caught my eye most was... In the telegram room, there were also several "female spies". With their neat military uniforms matched with high-top boots and sailor hats on their heads, they looked quite impressive!

  In modern times, I've flirted with many girls, (unfortunately, the success rate is almost negligible), but never with a female soldier in uniform... so when I saw those few heroic figures, I couldn't help but drool and slow down my pace...

  "Where's Fang?" Discovering I wasn't following behind, Zhang Zizhong turned back with a puzzled expression and called out. I couldn't help but suddenly wake up with a red face and walk into the slightly larger compartment.

  This is obviously Zhang Zizhong's command post, like all command posts, there are also portraits of Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek hanging here, the desktop is littered with documents and telegrams, some even fluttering to the ground... The office of a division commander would be messy like this, which also shows how complicated military affairs have been during this period.

  "Line up!" Zhang Zizhong said while signing the documents handed over by his deputy officer, "The situation is urgent, so I won't say much nonsense. You've fought well, but you've also made a big mess. The Japanese won't let you off, and considering that we're currently negotiating with them..."

  As he said this, Zhang Zizhong couldn't help but pause for a moment, and my heart also sank: Zhang Zizhong wouldn't sacrifice us for some "greater good", would he?!

  Zhang Zizhong flipped through another document handed over by the deputy officer, glanced at it casually, signed his name, and continued to say: "Considering that we are currently negotiating with the Japanese, if the Japanese ask for people from us, we can't hand them over. So... you and your subordinates must leave the troops!"

  "Leave the troops?" I was taken aback by his words.

  "Uh, leave the troops!" Zhang Zizhong raised his head and looked at me seriously: "Your performance on the battlefield is not bad, I believe you are a rare talent for the party and country. However, the current situation... If you stay in the troops any longer, it will be very dangerous, and also embarrassing for us. Do you understand what I mean?"

  "Understood!" I stood up straight and replied, then hesitated and asked again: "We're leaving... how will Master deal with the Japanese?"

  "This is none of your business!" Zhang Zizhong seemed somewhat impatient. However, this can be understood, no matter who it is, when facing such an uncontrollable situation, one's mood will not be good.

  "In short, just take care of yourselves!" Zhang Zizhong said as he pulled out a dozen or so silver dollars from the drawer and handed them to me, instructing: "Divide these among your brothers, tell them to be careful, it's not easy to leave the city now that the situation is tense. It's best to find a hiding place within the city and wait for things to calm down before heading to Baoding to look for our troops. Go!"

  I stared blankly at the silver dollar in my hand, and when I fired the first shot at the Japanese, I had thought of several possible consequences, but I never expected it to end like this.

  Song Zheyuan is a warlord, and Zhang Zizhong is Song's subordinate, so he is also a warlord. Isn't it said that warlords are selfish and only consider themselves? Like Song Zheyuan, who can even disregard the country's justice for his own territory and strength... However, this warlord Zhang Zizhong seems to be different!

  "What are you still standing there for?" It wasn't until after a while that Zhang Zizhong discovered I was still by his side, and he furrowed his brow, urging me to hurry: "Aren't you leaving yet? If the little Japanese devils find out you're still in my unit, I'm afraid even I won't be able to protect you!"

  "Master!" I replied: "I have a few words to say, I don't know if Master will let me finish?"

  "Speak!" Zhang Zizhong shifted his attention back to the document in his hand once again.

  "I asked: 'Does the Japanese army have the sincerity to negotiate with me?'"

  "What sincerity can be expected from a Japanese army with the heart of jackals and wolves?"

  "In that case..." I continued to ask: "Our army has only two roads to take, one is to lay down our arms and surrender, the other is to fight to the death and break through, which road will you choose, Commander?"

  "I'd rather die as a martyr than be a slave of a lost nation! I'll fight to the death to break through!"

  "The master thought so, but someone didn't!" I said out the final answer.

  Zhang Zizhong stopped his actions and looked up at me, asking: "What do you mean? Explain it clearly!"

  "Report, sir!" I stood up straight and replied: "On the defense line I'm stationed at, most of the civilians are secretly running from the Japanese military zone to our military zone, but almost none run from our military zone to the Japanese military zone. However, last night one civilian ran from our military zone to the Japanese military zone, and what's even stranger is... he came back in the second half of the night!"

  "What does this prove?" Zhang Zizhong was left speechless by what I said.

  "It doesn't explain anything!" I continued: "I just thought it was strange, so I stopped him and questioned him for a while. I didn't find any suspicious points, so I let him go! But... today I recognized him at the 39th Brigade, and also heard someone call him Zhang Advisor..."

  "What?" Zhang Zizhong suddenly stood up, looking at me in disbelief.