Chapter 2: The Grass Bag is Not Actually a Grass Bag

  On the way to the assembly point, the distant sound of gunfire could already be faintly heard.

  "Ah, it's really going to be a battle, huh." Yuan Shijiang muttered to himself as he listened to the distant rumble of gunfire, riding on his horse. He turned his head back to look at his sparse troops and suddenly thought of an important question - his troops had no ammunition reserves except for a few dozen blank rounds (used for show) and even he only had twelve so-called combat-ready rounds. What kind of battle can you fight without bullets?

  Yuan Shijiang hastily called over his deputy officer, Wang Yitian, and said: "Deputy Officer Wang, where can we go to get some bullets? The brothers are all out of ammo."

  Wang Yitian was a graduate of the regular military academy, although he also knew that the division actually treated Yuan Shijiang as a pig to be slaughtered. However, seeing Yuan Shijiang take on the mission in times of crisis, he still had some respect for him in his heart. But who knows if this guy really has a heroic spirit or is just ignorant and brave? So he tentatively said to Yuan Shijiang: "Battalion Commander, it's already too late to request supplies from the division's logistics department. There happens to be a light weapons reserve base nearby, code-named 920. Maybe there are some bullets there."

  Yuan Shijiang swung his whip and said: "Ah, 920? I've heard of it. Let's go to the 920 base."

  Wang Yitian deliberately showed a difficult expression and said: "But that base is not ours of the 17th Division, it's the Military Sub-district's."

  Yuan Shijiang said with a swagger: "What's the difference? If we get to the place and my brothers' guns are out of bullets, won't we become live targets for the Japanese devils? We might as well not go! Everyone has run away to a safe place!" Then without another word, he ordered them to turn around and head towards 920.

  The commander of the base was an old lieutenant colonel named Huang Yunxing, who didn't know Yuan Shijiang's background. The phone to contact his superiors couldn't get through, and Yuan Shijiang was also a unreasonable person. His military rank was not higher than others, so he was led around in circles.

  "I say, Lieutenant, what's your surname again? It's already noon, and the brothers haven't eaten yet after rushing to get on the road early." Yuan Shijiang made a request, inching forward.

  Huang Yunxing lieutenant was busy for half a day, and he had already been annoyed by his unreasonable demands and gestures, so he retorted: "This is a warehouse, not an army supply depot."

  "I don't care." Yuan Shijiang was a typical ignorant and fearless person. "No bullets in the gun, brothers can't fight, no food in the belly, brothers can't fight either. And this time it's unclear whether we'll live or die. Everyone is wearing military uniforms, how can you bear to let your brothers starve?" His words left Huang Zhonglie speechless, unable to argue with someone of higher rank, and he could only reluctantly arrange for food to be prepared.

  Having dealt with Huang, Yuan Shijiang didn't know what else to do. He looked around and saw a small team of constabulary soldiers leading a group of about fifty or sixty escaped soldiers into the base. The escapees were tied together with a large rope to prevent them from running away again.

  Yuan Shijiang's troops, being a supplementary regiment, naturally didn't have any heavy weapon squads, and they couldn't even get one rifle per person. The total number of soldiers was only around 350, and during this period, many had gone missing along with their guns, leaving less than half now. Seeing the constabulary bring in fifty or sixty escaped soldiers, his eyes suddenly emitted a green light.

  Clearing his throat and straightening up, Major Yuan Shijiang took a few steps forward and said to Lieutenant Lang Yiwu: "That lieutenant, I'm taking these men."

  ……

  Yuan Shijiang was overjoyed and thought to himself that he would persuade Huang Zhongwei to bring along the dozens of warehouse soldiers as well... Heh heh... Just as he was feeling pleased with himself, he looked up and discovered a new continent: among the escaped soldiers, there were also people wearing ordinary civilian clothes. He asked, "Lieutenant, why are there still civilians among them?"

  Lang Yiweng said: "Some of them may be deserters who put on ordinary people's clothes, and some may be Japanese spies?"

  "Spies?" Yuan Shijiang's interest was piqued. "Then I must interrogate them, I've never seen a Japanese spy before! Today I'll get to see what they're like, maybe I can even get some useful information out of them. Lieutenant, bring those spies to Director Huang's office for me!" His tone was firm, leaving no room for discussion.

  Lang Yiwu had no choice but to bring several "spies" - namely, Cheng Ziqiang and his entourage - to Yuan Shijiang's temporary office.

  Yuan Shijiang sat upright and properly behind Lieutenant Huang Yunxing's desk, removing his belt and handgun and placing them on the table. Next to him stood Deputy Officer Wang Yitian and four guards, all of whom looked like they were posing.

  Yuan Shijiang saw that among the group of people, Liu Cuicui's beauty was outstanding, and her eyes also revealed a charming demeanor. He was moved in his heart, and said to Lang Yiweng: "It's fine if this woman is here, why did they bring the child too?"

  Lang Yiwu said in a low voice to Yuan Shijiang, "Originally, we didn't plan to catch her, but she kept following the team and refused to leave. We had no choice but to bring her along. Besides, there are many women who work as spies, and this child is wearing a uniform from a Japanese school. Can't say there's no connection between them."

  Yuan Shijiang asked Liu Cuicui: "What's your surname and name? Why did you want to be a spy?"

  Lang Yiwu almost burst out laughing when he heard it from the side, where did such a question come from?

  "Unjust, sir! We are innocent people. My maiden name is Liu, and my given name is Cuicui. I married into the Zhao family in Hebei. It's been over a decade since that scoundrel left us, and it hasn't been easy for me to raise our child on my own. And now, sir, you've had us arrested without even investigating, this is unjust!"

  "River East Zhao's family?" Yuan Shijiang slapped the table and said: "Haha, it can be said that the flood has washed away the Dragon King Temple. River East Zhao's family had business dealings with my father, you... you are the one known as the widow of Cuiluo, hehe. My husband and I were also childhood friends,"

  Liu Cuicui's face turned red as she said: "Officer, don't make fun of me."

  Yuan Shijiang choked back a laugh and said, "No joke, huh?" He pointed at the child beside Cui Guafu and asked, "Is this your son? He's grown so big already."

  Liu Cuicui quickly pulled out her son who was hiding behind her and said, "That's right, his name is Zhao Zhongde, Dezi, hurry up and call him Dage."

  Yuan Shijiang smiled and said: "Hmmm, not bad, a burst of clever energy, just like his old man when he was young, haha."

  Lang Yiwu saw these people getting close, and he coughed loudly on the side. Yuan Shijiang suddenly came to his senses, cleared his throat, and said with a stern face: "Cough, familiar people are familiar, I'm telling you, sister-in-law, how could you go be a spy for the Japanese? Don't you see the current situation?"

  Lang Yiweng almost vomited blood when he heard Yuan Shijiang ask this: So as long as the situation improves, you can be a spy?

  Liu Cuicui met an acquaintance and naturally poured out her grievances, saying: "He's so big (even the way he addresses us has changed), it's unjust, we're just a widow and orphan, how could we possibly be spies?"

  Yuan Shijiang pressed on: "You really aren't a Japanese spy."

  Liu Cuicui said: "Really isn't."

  "Really isn't it?"

  Liu Cuicui said: "Absolutely not."

  Yuan Shijiang smiled and said: "It's good that it's not, you go sit down and have a cup of tea first, I'll send someone to take you home later."

  Liu Cuicui sweetly said "thank you, big brother", a nearby soldier quickly brought over a chair, and Liu Cuicui took her son to sit down beside him.