Chapter Fifteen Negotiation

  The cannon fire stopped, and the sentry on the observation post shouted down: The enemy is coming up.

  Wu Bing and others did not dare to delay, they immediately entered the mountain top formation and began to counterattack against the enemy who was advancing up the mountain.

  Nearly a regiment of the enemy was soon beaten back by the "ammunition-rich" women's militia, and the unyielding enemy launched two more attacks, both of which were defeated with their tails between their legs.

  The team leader, Ma Zhongyi, was furious in the command post, saying to his subordinates: So many brothers have died, but they still can't attack successfully. Where did the red bandits on the mountain get so much ammunition? Haven't they been beaten to the point of exhaustion?

  Several of his subordinates exchanged glances, and one fat man stepped forward to light a cigarette for Ma Zhongyi before saying: "Captain, calm down first. I have an idea, don't know if it's feasible?"

  Ma Zhongyi took a look and saw that it was the chief of staff who was resourceful and strategic in the team, so he asked: What's a good way to do it quickly?

  The chief of staff smiled and said: "Commander, don't we still have more than 50 Red Bandit prisoners in our hands? Let's pull them to the front line and force the Red Bandits on the mountain to surrender. If the Red Bandits on the mountain surrender, that would be best."

  If the red bandits on the mountain do not surrender, we will kill them in front of their faces and kill their morale. Firstly, it is good for our brothers to vent their anger, secondly, let those red bandits on the mountain see how their superiors abandon them to die, so that we can also achieve dispersal

  Their military heart's purpose. How does the team leader think?

  Ma Zhongyi stroked his chin thoughtfully and said: Alright, let's do it as you said.

  Ma's chief of staff was ordered to go and instruct people to carry out the task.

  Wu Bing and his men had repelled the enemy's numerous attacks, and were preparing to meet the enemy's next attack when the enemy below the mountain suddenly became chaotic.

  Before long, more than 50 ragged Red Army prisoners were pushed out in front of the enemy's formation. The bandits kicked and beat these Red Army prisoners to make them kneel down in front of the formation.

  The unyielding Red Army captives were knocked to the ground and forced to kneel by the bandits. The bandit commander ordered an officer to shout towards the mountain: "You red bandits on the mountain, listen! You have half an hour to surrender immediately, or these captives will be killed!"

  The bandit officer repeatedly shouted at the mountain, and the Red Army soldiers on the mountain were furious and scolded the enemy's despicable behavior.

  Li Ping also indignantly asked Wu Bing beside her: These bandits are too despicable, they even used such a trick, what should we do now, Brother Wu?

  Wu Bing comforted Li Ping, who was still fuming with anger, saying: "The enemy is doing this, which means they have no other tricks up their sleeve against us."

  He continued: You go and help me find a male warrior, let him dress up neatly and come over. I'll go find Captain Wang.

  Wu Bing stood up and went to find Captain Wang, after seeing him, he told his plan.

  Commander Wang immediately refused, saying: "No way, it's too dangerous!"

  Wu Bing said: "Commander, you don't need to worry about my safety. What's important is that we must rescue the captured soldiers below the mountain. The enemy won't treat prisoners of war like we do, and even if they're not killed now, they'll still be tortured to death when taken back. We have to try!"

  But... Commander Wang hesitated.

  No more nonsense, there's no time left, Wu Bing said urgently, in a little while Ma Fei will start killing people.

  Alright! You must be extra careful then. If there's any unusual movement, we'll respond immediately. Captain Wang said with concern.

  Just as Wu Bing and Wang were discussing how to rescue the comrades captured below the mountain, Ma Zhongyi, the leader of the horse bandits below the mountain, received an order that made him furious.

  A bunch of trash! Ma Zhongyi cursed.

  The deputy regimental commander next to him finally asked with a loud voice: What's wrong with the regiment commander?

  Ma Zhongyi threw the order in his hand into the arms of the second battalion commander and said, "You see for yourself." After finishing, he sat on an ammunition box, panting.

  The second lieutenant held it in his hand and had only read a few lines when he was shocked, stuttering: This... how can this be.

  Others also gathered around to look at the order, and after reading it, they were all shocked and started discussing.

  Anxious Ma Zhongyi was annoyed by the discussion of his subordinates, and loudly rebuked: Alright, stop discussing. Immediately let the chief of staff kill all the captives outside, and we will withdraw immediately.

  Just as Ma Zhongyi's order had not been conveyed, a report from outside the door interrupted him.

  Ma Zhongyi shouted: Come in.

  The door curtain of the command post was lifted and in came the orderly of the chief of staff.

  Ma Zhongyi asked: What's wrong?

  The orderly replied: Report to the commander, the chief of staff told me that three red bandits came down from the mountain and said they wanted to negotiate with us.

  "Oh, are they going to surrender?" Ma Zhongyi asked.

  I don't know, they just said they want to see the highest commander of our troops. The orderly replied.

  Ma Zhongyi called out to his subordinates and said: Let's go, take a look outside.

  A group of people arrived at the front line, looking ahead to see three people standing more than 100 meters away. The person in the middle was wearing clothes that were quite strange, and they had never seen anything like it before.

  Ma Zhongyi walked up to the chief of staff and asked: What's going on?

  The chief of staff looked at the team leader and immediately said: The three red bandits opposite us want to negotiate with us, I think it must be that our killing of these prisoners has taken effect.

  Ma Zhongyi listened with a smile, turned his head to look at the three Wu Bing people 100 meters away, and proudly clasped his fists to say: I am Ma Zhongyi, the commander of the second regiment of the cavalry brigade, the highest leader of this unit. What are the names of the three gentlemen opposite?

  Wu Bing also made a fist at Ma Zhongyi and said: I, Wu Bing, am the commander of this Red Army above. They are my two bodyguards. This time we came down to talk to Officer Ma about the matter of these captured Red Army soldiers.

  "Oh, well then let's go to my command center and talk." Ma Zhongyi said with a flicker of his eyes.

  Haha, then there's no need. Let's just discuss it here and both sides can rest assured, Director Ma, isn't that right? Wu Bing replied lightly.

  Mind: If I enter your command center, I'll still have a life to come out, do you think I'm a fool?!

  Ma Zhongyi's 'treacherous' plan failed, and he awkwardly smiled and said: Alright, let's talk here then.

  Wu Bing looked at Ma Zhongyi with disdain and said: "Commander Ma, the three of us are all within your army's firing range. Don't you dare to come closer and talk to us?"

  Ma Zhongyi was looked down upon by Wu Bing and felt a bit embarrassed, just as he was about to leave, the chief of staff beside him pulled him back and said: Be careful, there's a trick.

  Turning to the chief of staff, he said: They are all within our firing range, it's unfavorable for me if they can't even run, we can't be underestimated by a few red bandits. As he spoke, he took big strides towards Wu Bing and the other two men.

  The chief of staff hastily called several people to follow up as well.

  Ma Zhongyi walked to within twenty meters of the three Wu soldiers and stopped, saying with a smile: I don't know if you three are representatives of the Red Army on the mountain coming down to surrender in exchange for sparing the lives of these dozens of captives?

  Wu Bing smiled and said: Captain Ma is wrong, we didn't come to discuss surrender or anything like that, because the word "surrender" doesn't even exist in my dictionary. Today I came here to ask Captain Ma for a person.

  Ma Zhongyi heard Wu Bing's words, his face first turned gloomy, then burst into a loud laugh: You want people? What makes you think you can come and demand people from me, just because of the few hundred men you have on that mountain?

  Wu Bing shrugged and smiled: "I'm afraid Officer Ma still doesn't know his own situation?"

  Ma Zhongyi is not a fool, otherwise he wouldn't have become the head of a regiment at such a young age. Upon hearing this, his heart skipped a beat and he thought to himself: Could it be that the place where the order said to stockpile supplies was actually looted by these people in front of him, and the supplies fell into their hands?

  I don't know what situation I'm in now! Would you like to hear more about it? Ma Zhongyi asked calmly.

  Alright, I'll tell Officer Ma about it. I don't know if Officer Ma knows that your logistics support has been destroyed, the supplies stored outside the main peak of Qilian Mountain have been destroyed, which means you will soon be left with nothing to eat or drink in the deep mountains and old forests of Qilian Mountain.

  Everyone who followed Ma Zhongyi was shocked and lost their color. Ma Zhongyi, pretending to be calm, said: Just because of this, you want me to hand over the captive in my hands? You're daydreaming!

  Wu Bing smiled and said: Hehe, I guess Officer Ma must have planned to kill these captives and then quickly retreat!

  He then coldly said to Ma Zhongyi: "Officer Ma, I advise you that if you want to kill these captives, it will be forcing our Red Army and your troops into a fight to the death. Here, I can guarantee that we will not let you take half a step out of Qilian Mountain, and drag you to death in the main peak area of Qilian Mountain."

  Ma Zhongyi's face turned iron-green and said: Our troops entering the mountain have tens of thousands, you think that relying on your few people to drag us to death here is truly a foolish dream.

  Wu Bing burst out laughing: Are you kidding me, General?! Even if the logistics base wasn't destroyed, the supplies we have can barely support 10,000 people for three days. Where are you going to get enough supplies for several tens of thousands of troops? Even if there's a rescue team coming, I think that would be in a few days at least.

  It's all over, by then whether Captain Ma's troops can still hold their guns is a question.

  Wu Bing threatened Ma Zhongyi: If Officer Ma doesn't believe us, we can try it out. However, by then, we will have to retaliate with equal force, tooth for tooth and blood for blood.

  Before Ma Zhongyi could get angry and retort, Wu's troops immediately added: If General Ma can return the prisoners of war to our army, I can guarantee that after receiving these prisoners of war, we will immediately withdraw from the territory of the Ma family army along the Qilian Mountains. Absolutely no 'disturbance' to your army's withdrawal, the Red Army keeps its promises.

  Wu Bing looked at Ma Zhongyi's face which had just turned gloomy and was about to clear up, thinking: There is a way.

  He continued: Officer Ma can consider my proposal. If Officer Ma agrees, please release these captives within an hour.

  Alright, we'll wait for Marshal Ma's good news on the mountain. As Wu Bing spoke, he didn't wait for Ma Zhongyi to respond and retreated step by step up the mountain.