Chapter 10 "What Manchurians! They are Chinese!"

  Qin Zhiyong suddenly exclaimed: "It's him!"

  "Guo Zi: "Do you know him?""

  Qin Zhiyong nodded: "It's Sun, the advisor of the Brigade Department."

  A frail-looking Japanese groom laboriously led his horse into the stable.

  Kuroda sat on the steps in front of the stable, looking at Son Sanpung with great surprise, and then said sarcastically: "The Imperial Army has already entered Changsha, this guy is still smiling, the Chinese are really shameless!"

  Sun's advisor suddenly spoke fluent Japanese to Kuroda: "I'm laughing at you for being too arrogant."

  Kuroda was surprised and looked up and down at Sun: "Your Japanese is more standard than mine, did you learn it in Japan?"

  Sun's advisor nodded.

  Kuroda patted Sun's advisor on the shoulder: "Looks like a knowledgeable person, so you answer me one question: In the end, who will win this war?"

  The groom carried two buckets of water out to fetch water, heard Hei Tian's question, and couldn't help but stop and listen. The attention of the Japanese soldiers in formation was also drawn over.

  "Undoubtedly, of course, it is our China that will ultimately win the victory!"

  Kuroda and the surrounding Japanese soldiers were stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing together.

  Kuroda laughed until he was out of breath, and it took him a while to stop laughing: "You stinky Chinas are simply shameless! You've already lost Beiping, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and now you've lost Changsha too. You've failed, yet you still want to put up this futile resistance - it's utterly foolish!"

  "Even if you occupy Changsha, don't think that the Chinese people will surrender!"

  Kuroda laughed again: "Haven't you surrendered yet? In Nanjing, an imperial soldier can escort several thousand prisoners of war, and no one dares to resist. Isn't this surrender? In my eyes, you Chinese are just a flock of sheep waiting to be slaughtered."

  Kuroda's words again caused the surrounding Japanese soldiers to burst out laughing.

  Kuroda continued with a self-satisfied smile: "And don't forget, even the Vice-President of your National Government has surrendered to our Great Japanese Empire."

  "Leaving behind a stench for ten thousand years, nothing more."

  Kuroda's face turned red with rage: "Fine, I won't kill you now. I'll let you see how your people welcome the Imperial Army into the city with flags!" Kuroda turned to the sentry standing guard at the stable gate: "Take him away first!"

  The sentinel dragged Sun into the courtyard. The groom only picked up the water bucket to fetch water after watching Sun being dragged into the courtyard.

  Kuroda Squad: "Departure!"

  Kuroda set out with his squad.

  Qin Zhiyong anxiously muttered to himself: "What can be done about this?"

  "Are you going to save him?"

  Dongzi asked while quietly reaching for the "crooked handle" placed beside Qin Zhiyong's body.

  Qin Zhiyong vigilantly put "Wai Ba Zi" on his other side.

  Qin Zhiyong: "If we fall into the devils' hands, we're done for."

  "Guai Zi said confidently: 'I have a way to save him.'"

  "What's the solution?"

  "Zhuangzi: 'If I help you rescue this officer, will you give me the 'Crooked-Handled Sword'?"

  Qin Zhiyong thought for a moment and responded quickly: "Alright! What's the plan? Tell me quickly!"

  Baozi stretched out his hand and took "Wai Baizi" into his hands: "Don't be in a hurry, wait until night falls, we'll get rid of the sentry and sneak into the yard quietly."

  Diaozi lovingly stroked "Wai Baizi". Qin Zhiyong urged: "But there are devils everywhere in the city, how can we escape?"

  "Will be fine. Don't worry, I'm very familiar with Changsha City, I've been to Changsha twice with Lu Baochang."

  Qin Zhiyong: "Do you know how to use this gun?"

  "Of course I will, Lu Baochang has taught us."

  Baozi thought of Lu Baochang, feeling very sad. He stroked the "crooked handle" and said: "If we had this thing earlier, maybe Lu Baochang wouldn't have died."

  Qin Zhiyong: "Who is Lu Baochang?"

  "Zhuāngzi: 'He was the captain of our anti-Japanese self-defense team, a soldier from the countryside. Yesterday when we ambushed the devils' transport team, he sacrificed himself.'"

  Qin Zhiyong: "What about others?"

  "Those devils charged into the city and everyone died for their country...the villagers still don't know..."

  Cun Kou. Zhang Shan's wife, Zhang Shan, Dong Mei, Qi Shu and the villagers gathered together, anxiously gazing at the distant flames on the horizon, listening to the intermittent gunfire.

  Changshan Niang: "His seventh uncle, can't Changsha be defended? And what about Lu Baochang and the others?"

  Seventh Uncle sighed and shook his head: "Like hitting a stone with an egg, Nanyang has already been occupied by the Japanese, let alone Changsha?"

  Changshan: "Seventh Uncle, where is Nanjing?"

  "Is our capital."

  A villager: "What's the country doing?"

  Seventh Uncle: "The country is a place where Chairman Chiang approves documents."

  A villager: "Is the chairman a bigger official than the county magistrate?"

  Seventh Uncle sneered: "No matter how big an official is, he can't be bigger than the Japanese, and his arm can't twist his thigh! Lu Baochang and others are just making a fuss!"

  "A villager: 'Seventh Uncle, should we just let the Japanese slaughter us?'"

  "A villager: 'Is that right, Seventh Uncle? Shouldn't we resist then?'"

  "Rebellion? What's the use of rebelling? It'll just get you killed! When the Qing army entered the pass all those years ago, how many people were slaughtered? Back then, there were also people who resisted, but what happened in the end? They all submitted and accepted their fate. And then came over 200 years of peace and prosperity. Now, it's time for another change of dynasty, and we're lucky to have lived through it. This is just our fate!"

  Everyone was silent.

  "Japanese people are formidable," Seventh Uncle continued. "They don't listen to the words of old men, and it seems these kids will come to no good!"

  Changshan Niang and Dongmei became increasingly restless.

  "Mother, don't worry. My brother Chang Kuo has been clever since he was a child and won't get into trouble. Let's go back, Mother, sister."

  Changshan Niang gazed at the distant flames for a while longer, then let out a deep sigh.

  The villagers gradually dispersed, and Zhangshan accompanied his mother and Dongmei back home.

  Changshan told his wife what he saw and what Seventh Uncle said.

  Changshan's wife said with a lingering fear: "Fortunately you didn't follow him, from now on still listen to Seventh Uncle's words more."

  Changshan also felt emotional: "In this era, living a good life is more important than anything else."

  Changshan's wife thought of the child in her belly and couldn't help but shed tears: "When will these chaotic days of war and horses come to an end?"

  Changshan stroked his wife's belly.

  Changshan's wife: "Let's give the baby a name."

  Changshan thought for a moment: "Let's just call him Taiping, hoping our child can catch up with the peaceful days."

  Changshan's wife: "Mm-hmm."

  Changshan blew out the oil lamp.

  Inside Changsha City. Qin Zhiyong and Duanzi hid in the ruins opposite the stable, waiting for the arrival of nightfall.

  "Call me Gu Zhang Yu, you can just call me Yu Zi."

  "My name is Qin Zhiyong."

  "How long have you been in the army?"

  Qin Zhiyong smiled: "It's just a few days."

  "Are you afraid of death?"

  Qin Zhiyong: "I was afraid before, but I'm not afraid anymore."

  "What's the reason?"

  Qin Zhiyong fell silent for a long time, his voice becoming low and husky: "These days, so many people have died, Feng Lianchang, Xiao Baijie... what's there to be afraid of? Am I not even as good as a woman?"

  "Ah, yes... they're all dead... just yesterday we were all together..."

  Qin Zhiyong thought of other brothers in Lian again, wondering how they were doing now? Had they all broken through?"

  Miluo River defense line outside Changsha City.

  Lao Cao and other soldiers were repairing the fortifications.

  Lao Yang and his companion Xiao Niu arrived at the battlefield carrying a pole, Xiao Niu was only thirteen or fourteen years old.

  Old Yang called out to everyone: "Dinner's ready! Hey! Old Cao, you're still alive!"

  Lao Cao thrust his shovel into the ground: "Old Yang, where were you hiding these past few days when we were fighting the devils with bayonets?"

  Old Yang counter-attacked: "I haven't even asked you yet! How did you guys guard the defense line? I had just finished cooking a pot of rice, and the devils came killing over. If my legs weren't quick and agile, I would have been dead long ago. You still come to ask me?"

  Husband Xiao Niu served soup to the soldiers. A soldier looked at the soup in his bowl and couldn't help but complain: "Old Yang, there's not even a bit of oil star in this soup! You're not skimming off your brothers' oil, are you?"

  Old Yang hastily turned red and white: "What oil is there, you think it's easy to be a cook? You have to take care of the meals for over 100 people. This is also Feng Lianchang taking care of me because I'm older. Ah, why can't I see Feng Lianchang?"

  Everyone lowered their heads and remained silent. Old Yang was stunned for a moment, then walked up to Old Cao: "Where's Commander Feng?"

  Lao Cao turned around and squatted down.

  Old Yang urged: "Old Cao, say something!"

  In the Japanese army's stable, over a dozen military horses were tied to trees. The Japanese grooms were sweating profusely as they fed the horses fodder and water.

  Sun's advisor was tied under a tree, he looked at the busy groom and shouted in Japanese: "Please give me some water to drink."

  The groom hesitated for a moment, picked up a bowl and scooped some water from the bucket to send it to Sun's mouth, feeding him.

  A Japanese private second class ran into the yard and asked Ma Fu: "Where is the captain's horse?"

  The groom hastily led away the captain's horse and bowed to the private: "It has already been fed."

  The corporal found the horse still covered in mud, slapped the groom's face and kicked him to the ground, scolding: "Bastard! Is this how you treat the squadron leader's horse? It's more important than your life, clean it up immediately!"

  The groom hastened to climb up from the ground, saluted the corporal and replied loudly: "Yes!"

  The private ran out of the yard with a humph.

  The groom looked at the departing back of the second-class soldier, covering his beaten face and angrily cursed: "Damn it!"

  Sun Ziming was shocked after hearing this, he looked at the groom and asked: "Are you Chinese?"

  The groom glanced at Sun's advisor and stuttered: "It-it's a Manchu person."

  "What Manchu people! We are Chinese!"

  The groom hung his head in shame.

  Sun's advisor spoke in a calmer tone: "Come here!"

  The groom walked up to Sun's advisor and said: "Brother, if you still have a conscience as a Chinese, then untie me."

  The groom was so frightened that he shook his head repeatedly: "No, no..."

  Sun's advisor looked at him with contempt: "Are you willing to be a running dog for the devils?"

  The groom smiled bitterly: "Dog? Here, I'm not even as good as a dog! Their military dogs and horses are more noble than us. But if I let you go, the Japanese will kill me."

  Just as Sun's advisor was about to say something, the sentry standing guard outside the gate came in and scolded Ma Fu: "Bastard! What are you dawdling for? Get back to work quickly!"

  The groom quickly went to fetch a bucket and brush to give the horse a bath.

  Sun Zongmou gazed at his back and sighed: "Alas! No wonder the Japanese look down on us..."

  The sentry stood beside General Sun with his rifle at port arms.

  In the trenches, National Army soldiers are having a meal.

  Lao Cao held a steamed bun in one hand and a bowl of soup in the other, eating silently.

  Old Yang crouched in the trench, furrowing his brow, puffing on a pipe, with a carrying pole and two empty buckets beside him.

  Lao Cao put down his rice bowl, looked at Lao Yang with some unease: "...Lao Yang, at the time there was really no way out, Feng Lianzhang pointed a gun at my head and forced me to retreat, don't believe me? Ask Lao Huang."

  Huang Xintian chimed in from the side: "Yes, Old Yang, Feng Lianzhang didn't let us save him, he was badly injured..."

  Lao Cao's eyes turned red: "I know, Feng Lianchang wants to give us a way out..."

  Old Cao burst into tears.

  "Damn it! You're a complete idiot!"

  Lao Cao suddenly stopped crying.

  Old Yang stood up and put away his tobacco pouch, preparing to leave.

  Lao Cao looked at Lao Yang and said nervously: "Lao Yang..."

  Old Yang: "Get out of here!"

  Old Cao stood up, shouting at Old Yang with a very wronged tone: "Old Yang, heaven and earth are witness, I really wanted to rescue Captain Feng, but the situation at that time - even if you were there, it would have been useless - where did you run off to?"

  Old Yang somewhat awkwardly said: "I-I-Little Cow! I'll pack up and head back."

  Old Yang finished speaking and walked away with his pole, Little Cow gathered up the soldiers' bowls and put them in a bucket, then shouldered his own pole to chase after Old Yang.

  The little cow rushed towards Old Yang's back and shouted: "Uncle, wait for me!"

  The battle inside Changsha City is still going on, but the gunfire has become sparse.

  Qin Zhiyong and Duanzi watched a group of Japanese soldiers run past on the street from the ruins, then they quietly came out, Duanzi holding the "Crooked Handle" machine gun, the two crouched down, taking advantage of the night, quickly ran across the street, arrived at the courtyard where the horse stable was located, and crawled in through the blown-up wall.

  Two men crawled into the yard and lay under the belly of a military horse, observing the situation in the yard.

  The groom was brushing the horse of Iwai with a brush, he poured all the remaining water in the bucket on the horse's back, and then carried two empty buckets out of the yard with a shoulder pole.

  Sun's advisor was tied under a tree with Japanese sentries standing beside him.

  Qin Zhiyong stood up with the bayonet-equipped 38 rifle, wanting to sneak over quietly. Shuangzi stopped him. Shuangzi handed the "crooked handle" to Qin Zhiyong, then untied the long headscarf from his head and crept past the sentry's back.

  Son Sanpou saw the sentry, to attract his attention, he suddenly looked up at the moon and recited a line of ancient Japanese poetry in Japanese: "The mountain head is falling with me, every night I wish to accompany you to sleep."

  The sentinel also listened and involuntarily raised his head, gazing at the moon in the sky with a sense of homesickness.

  Duanzi reached behind the sentry, suddenly using his headscarf to loop around the sentry's neck from behind, then took advantage of the momentum to carry the sentry on his back. The sentry struggled desperately, but the headscarf only got tighter and Duanzi ran around the courtyard until the sentry stopped struggling.

  Sun's advisor couldn't help but exclaim: "Well done!"

  The corpse of the sentinel was thrown to the ground. Qin Zhiyong quickly walked up to Sun's side and whispered, "Sir!"

  "Quick! Quick! Untie me!"

  Two people were busy helping Sun Zi untie his bonds.

  At this moment, cheers of "Banzai! Banzai! Banzai..." echoed throughout the city as Japanese soldiers celebrated their victory.

  Iwai stormed out of his temporary command center and ran into Kuroda, who was rushing in with a small squad.

  Kuroda excitedly: "Captain, will there be an entrance ceremony?"

  Iwai: "Prepare for withdrawal!"

  Kuroda was shocked and thought he had misheard: "What? Withdrawal? Why? We have already occupied Changsha!"

  Iwai: "This is an order from the captain!"

  Kuroda: "Isn't this all for nothing?"

  Iwai: "We have accomplished our expected combat purpose and the enemy's reinforcements are coming, so we must withdraw north immediately."

  Kuroda: "Withdraw to where?"

  Iwai: "Withdraw north of Xin Qi He River. Bring me my horse."

  Kuroda turned around with a look of dismay and asked the private second class, "Where is the captain's horse?"

  "It seems like it hasn't been washed clean yet."

  "Enough of this! Bring it here at once!"

  Private Second Class: "Yes."

  The private ran towards the stable.

  After the Japanese army occupied Changsha, the front line was extended, consumption was too large, supply was difficult, and the National Army troops in various war zones began to surround Changsha. At the same time, Yichang was also attacked by the National Army, forcing the Japanese army to abandon Changsha.

  At this time, Commander Dong was receiving a call from the division commander in the regimental headquarters on the Miluo River defense line outside the city.

  "...The enemy has begun to retreat, order your regiment to intercept and attack the Japanese army at its current position, ensuring that the enemy cannot safely cross the Xinwali River."

  Comrade Dong into the microphone: "Yes!"

  Comrade Dong hung up the phone and walked out of the brigade headquarters.

  Outside the command post. Dong Tuanzhang walked and gave orders to the orderly behind him: "Pass my order, enter the battlefield immediately, prepare to intercept and kill the retreating enemy!"

  Orderly: "Yes!"

  The orderly was about to leave when Director Dong stopped him again: "Has Comrade Sun's whereabouts been found?"

  The orderly shook his head.

  Director Dong: "If there's news, tell me right away."

  Orderly: "Yes."

  The orderly ran off with the order.

  In the stable, Qin Zhiyong and Duanzi helped Sun Canmou struggle to his feet.

  Qin Zhiyong: "Sun advisor, how are you? Can your legs walk?"

  Sun Zi moved his feet with difficulty, gritting his teeth: "I can do it... I won't die like this... I'll go back to the battlefield and kill the enemy..."

  Qin Zhiyong and Duanzi were supporting Sun's advisor, who had just walked to the gate of the courtyard, when a second-class soldier suddenly rushed in, saw the scene before him, was shocked, hastily pulled the bolt, pointed his bayonet at the three men, and shouted: "Don't move! Put up your hands!"

  The three people were at a loss when they saw the sudden appearance of Japanese soldiers and stood still.

  At this time, the groom carried a pole of water in and was also frightened to death. The second-class soldier turned his head and looked at the groom, scolding: "Bastard! What are you staring at? Tie them all up!"

  The groom also saw the corpse of the sentry at this time, and knew that disaster was imminent. He gritted his teeth, put down the water bucket, pulled out the flat stick, and struck it against the back of the second-class soldier's head, who fell to the ground without any defense.

  The groom picked up the second-class soldier's gun and stabbed the struggling second-class soldier on the ground several times, cursing as he stabbed: "Let you not treat Laozi as a human being, go to your Jingguo Shrine to report!"

  Qin Zhiyong and Duanzi were supporting Sun's strategist who was just about to leave.

  The groom suddenly stopped them: "Halt!"

  Three people were shocked.

  Groom: "I'll go get two horses for you."

  The groom ran towards the tied military horse.

  Kunzi took down the two ghost sons' guns and magazines and carried them on his back, still holding "Wai Baizi" in his arms.

  Qin Zhiyong looked at the back of the horse keeper and was full of doubts: "Isn't it a devil?"

  "Is doing odd jobs for the devils."

  "It's the Japanese devils!"

  Before long, a groom led over two horses and called out to the three men: "Hurry! Mount up quickly!"

  Qin Zhiyong flipped over onto the horse, and Guan and the groom helped Sun Canmou onto the horse, sitting in front of Qin Zhiyong. Guan also mounted a horse.

  The groom opened the gate of the courtyard, looked out and pointed to a fork in the road: "This road has no sentry post, you can leave the city!"

  "Let me go, what will you do?"

  The groom slapped the horse's buttocks: "Don't talk about it anymore, let's go quickly!"

  Two horses rushed onto the street and galloped away.

  At this time, Kuroda arrived with his men and saw the two horses galloping away. He hastily raised his gun and fired, with the bullets whizzing over the heads of the three people. As he watched the horses run further and further away, Kuroda lowered his gun and turned to the bugler: "Sound the assembly call!"

  The bugler took out his bugle.

  Two horses galloped through the night, when suddenly the sound of a Japanese military bugle call came from behind.

  The two horses suddenly stopped and turned around, running towards the direction where the military horn sound came from. No matter how hard Qin Zhīyǒng and Shuāngzi pulled the reins, the two horses refused to listen and galloped towards the military horn sound.

  At this moment, a groom riding a horse rushed up from the fork in the road. He whistled and the two horses turned their heads again, following the groom's horse as they galloped forward.

  The groom rode his horse forward, loudly shouting in Japanese: "Make way! It's an emergency!"

  Japanese soldiers along the way dodged one after another without understanding what was going on.

  Three horses rushed out of the city gate and galloped away...

  The morning glow reddened the horizon, three horses galloped side by side along the Youyang River.

  Sun's advisor asked Qin Zhiyong behind him: "What is your name?"

  Qin Zhiyong: "Qin Zhiyong, Sun's advisor, we met at the wounded soldiers' hospital."

  Sun Ziming smiled: "Right! I remember now, no wonder you look familiar, you even pointed a gun at me!"

  Qin Zhiyong: "Little White Sister..."

  Sun Ziming: "I already know. We didn't expect the devils to break into the city, and the wounded soldiers' hospital couldn't be evacuated in time. When I led people there, not only did we fail to rescue the wounded, but I was also captured."

  "The dead will not die in vain! Nor will we!"

  Sun Zimou took a glance at Shangguan: "What you said is right! We won't die in vain! What's your name?"

  "Your Honor, just call me Dongzi."

  The groom threw away the Japanese military combat cap on his head and also took off and threw away the upper garment of his uniform.

  Sun Zi looked at Ma Fu and said: "Brother, what's your name?"

  "My name is Zhou Guangren."

  Sun Zi: "Thanks to you today, from now on, follow us to fight against the devils!"

  Zhou Guangren exclaimed with joy: "Great! Commander, can we really defeat the Japanese?"

  Sun's advisor: "Can! Must be able!"

  Zhou Guangren excitedly whistled and rode his horse forward.

  The garrison commander sang happily: "Big knives beheaded the devils, brothers of the 29th Army, the day of resistance has come, the day of resistance has come..."

  Three horses galloped towards the dawn...