The fourth episode dismantles the car eleven, the national army recruits soldiers

  Zhan Biao let the van stop at a place and got out of the car to take a look. He shook his head and got back on the bus.

  Secretary Jiao said beside him, "Uncle Biao, you can't recognize it anymore, right? There have been great changes here since liberation, especially in the past decade or so. The peasants are getting richer and richer, and the houses and roads are all newly built." Zhuo Biao muttered a sentence: "The change is big, the standard of living has improved, but the peasants' land is getting less and less, and young men and women with strong labor force have all gone out to work."

  Zhan Biao asked, "Secretary Jiao, how are the families and descendants of those who joined the National Army living here?" Da Yu took over the conversation with a smile: "Brother Biao, in recent years we have come to admire your wise decision even more. Now all the survivors are retired cadres!"

  County Magistrate Zhen also said to Zhan Biao with admiration: "Biao Grandfather, this is the only place in the country that participated in the National Army but was counted as an anti-Japanese team. Your on-site dissolution at that time saved thousands of people and their descendants. Biao Grandfather, for the sake of your grandchildren, I must pay my respects to you: your merits are boundless!"

  Zhan Biao thought deeply and said: "The world is changing, I was just lucky, the credit also belongs to Xiao Bao...". Da Yun continued: "At that time, it was because Brother Biao was the leader and had so many heavy machine guns, many people were willing to join the National Army..."

  When Zhang Biao heard Peng Xuefei being called the machine gun company commander, everyone was stunned. Does the number of appointments by the national army count? At this time, a loud shout suddenly came from behind the truck: "Count!" Everyone turned their heads in surprise, and Tang Yingchang, Shan Duizhang, and the person in charge of the strong point walked out. Peng Xuefei shouted loudly: "Attention!" All the new Fourth Army soldiers, guerrilla fighters, and anti-Japanese guerrilla squad soldiers followed suit, with their feet clicking together, and the new recruits also imitated them in a somewhat disorderly manner.

  Tan Yingzhang stepped up onto the truck, waved his hand and said: "Welcome all the young soldiers to join the New Fourth Army's machine gun company!" Then he turned to Peng Xuefei and waved his hand again: "Please continue your speech, Comrade Peng!"

  The new Fourth Army soldiers all applauded, this applause was to congratulate Peng on being recognized by his superiors and becoming a real company commander. Of course, the original squad leaders would be promoted to platoon commanders, and some old soldiers would also be promoted to squad leaders.

  Peng Xuefei was very excited, and he slapped Zhan Biao on the back. He knew clearly that if it weren't for Zhan Biao bringing so many soldiers and guns, and if it weren't for Zhan Biao pushing him to the position of company commander on the spot, he wouldn't be able to become a company commander today.

  Peng Xuefei took a step forward, bowed to everyone and clasped his hands: "Fellow villagers, from now on you are all anti-Japanese warriors, good at killing enemies. You also have to thank Squad Leader Zhan for rescuing you and leading you to take up arms." As he spoke, he turned around and gave Zhan Biao a very serious salute, his hand lingering in the air for a long time before dropping down.

  Peng Xuefei turned around and continued to say: "We new recruits, in order to avoid being too conspicuous, will be divided into two parts. One part will join the New Fourth Army's machine gun company, and the other part will join Zhang Banlong's National Army Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Battalion."

  Below, a big man with a northern accent spoke up: "We want to join the Communist Party's army, become soldiers of the New Fourth Army and Eighth Route Army. Those are our people's armies. The Nationalist Army is too incompetent, all they know how to do is retreat." A chorus of agreement rose from below. A man in his thirties whispered: "The current Nationalist government is too corrupt, everywhere there are corrupt officials, we common folk have lost faith in them."

  Peng Xuefei raised his hand to stop everyone's discussion: "Now the country is in trouble, the whole nation is united against foreign enemies, the Communist Party and the Nationalist Party have already cooperated, our Red Army and local guerrilla troops have all been incorporated into the national army, look at our hat badges, they are all the same blue sky with a white sun, as long as they are truly fighting against the devils to protect their homes and country, they are all good sons of China. Everyone saw Zhang Banlong, he and his anti-Japanese guerrilla squad are our anti-Japanese heroes!"

  Here is the translation:

  "Indeed, today's battle was too intense, and we even destroyed the enemy tanks. This is what it means to fight against the devils." Someone else said: "After all, we were rescued by Zhang Banlong and his team." Another person added: "Zhang Banlong and his team are skilled in shooting, driving, and martial arts. Following them will be pretty good too."

  Tan Yingchang stepped forward and said, "Fellow villagers, everyone knows that the recent victories were all won by Zhang Banzhang and his men. They beat those Japanese devils at Songshan until they were fleeing in disarray. It's a great honor to join the Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Brigade or the New Fourth Army. I think we should let Zhang Banzhang and his men choose their people first, and the rest will join the New Fourth Army." Everyone fell silent after hearing this, indicating their obedience to Tan Yingchang's request.

  "I am neither a Communist nor a Nationalist, my fellow brothers and I are just peasants, we only know how to fight the devils. My soldiers have two requirements: one is to not be afraid of death or hardship, and to be righteous; the other is to specifically target Japanese people and not Chinese people. Today, I need 40 men, those who want to join the National Army's anti-Japanese guerrilla squad, go to Squad Leader Xiao Feng."

  Xiao Feng raised his hand on the side, and more than half of the 140 new recruits rushed over. Xiao Feng quickly selected eight fellow students, including Qiangzi, Sande, and Dayu, each choosing five people to join their own class. After a flurry of activity, 40 people were chosen, all sturdy young men, with half of them holding rifles. Xiao Feng ordered those with guns to leave them for the new recruits joining the New Fourth Army, then arranged for the 40 new recruits to board the truck empty-handed and prepare to depart.

  Tan Yingchang listened to Peng Xuefei's report on the battle situation and hugged Zhan Biao again, praising him repeatedly: "Good boy, I really admire you, your courage is too wild, you dismantled the enemy's tank and gave us a chance to vent our anger, this is truly a miracle! Moreover, you gave me back a company for a platoon!"

  Zhan Biao smiled: "We're all fighting the devils, no distinction between you and me. Captain Tan, I'll take the car and make a circle first to lure the devils away, then come back at night. There's still half a month of training tasks that haven't been completed yet."

  Tan Yingchang smiled and said, "You must have hidden the car in your underground garage. This time you come back, I will give you an additional task, to teach Peng Lianzhang and others how to drive." Single Captain said on the side, "Zhan Battalion Commander, I want to take my eight men back and exchange them for another eight people." Zhan Biao nodded in agreement.

  Peng Xuefei eagerly asked: "Biao Ge, did you drive away all six cars?"

  Zhan Biao replied: "Take advantage of the daytime when the devils can see, and drive all the cars away. My garage can only hold four more, then I'll drive two back at night and bring some light machine gun bullets back. We still need to continue dismantling the cars. By the way, hurry up and dig two sloping garages. Also, calculate how many rifles we still need."

  Tan Yingchang patted Zhang Biao's shoulder and said mysteriously: "Rifles are needed, but what's even more needed is one person from your place. Can you let him go?"

  As soon as Tan Yingchang heard that Jiang Biao wanted to take him personally, the team leader also came over and said: "We need this person too." It was clear that they had discussed it beforehand. Jiang Biao was a bit confused - he couldn't figure out what was going on, and chuckled: "No way, is he one of my fellow disciples?"

  Tan Ying Chang laughed: "That's right, and we want everything, including the wolves and dogs." Zhan Biao understood: "Oh, you want San Dezi, and also bring Si De? What do you want the two brothers to do?"

  The squad leader explained in a hurry: "Now there are many wolves on the mountain, and both Comrade Tan's troops and my guerrilla team have been attacked by wolf packs. Especially those who are on sentry duty and reconnaissance are more afraid of wolves than devils. Everyone is nervous. But later we found that Peng Squad Leader, no, Peng Company Commander, they were not attacked by wolf packs at all. When the wolf packs encountered them, they would bypass them and even show a friendly attitude. We analyzed that it was because Si De had stayed here for ten days. So we also want to invite San De to lead Si De to live with us for a few days. After we have more or less the smell of Si De on our bodies, we will let the two brothers go."

  Zhan Biao listened and then called San De over, instructing him in this way. San De hastily nodded his head repeatedly, and Tan Yingzhang and Duan Duizhang looked at each other with satisfaction.

  Six trucks started, and all 18 of Zhang Biao's men got on board. Six people drove the cars, and each car had two veteran soldiers accompanying new recruits. Xiaofeng counted the number of new recruits and found that there were actually 51 people. Including a big man with a northern accent who wanted to join the New Fourth Army. Xiaofeng thought secretly, these 51 people plus the original 32 people, just enough to form eight standard ten-man squads, leaving two people for Zhang Biao to assign as communication personnel. This way, it would be one squad short of a standard company.

  Peng Xuefei had his men place a light machine gun on each truck, in case they encountered any situation along the way.

  The truck started, Zhan Biao said goodnight to Peng Xuefei. But unexpectedly, Zhan Biao didn't come back that night, Songshan didn't let him come back, and he was gone for three days.