Chapter Forty-one New Year's Carnival

  "Come, come, come, everyone let loose and drink! No one is allowed to hide or conceal anything. I can tell you that we've been preparing for this New Year's celebration for a long time, just for everyone to have a good year. He even personally spent 5,000 yuan on it. In the grand hall of the Linglong Tower General Administration Office, all unmarried and childless officials and soldiers were gathered here. Wu Tongjin, the true chief officer of the six towns, naturally became the host and driving force behind this New Year's grand banquet."

  It's been almost a year since Liu Mingjiu mysteriously crossed over into this body, and he has also welcomed his first New Year in this world. Since he was far away from his family, he naturally felt more deeply the thoughts of those soldiers who didn't have families. Half a month in advance, Liu Mingjiu issued a notice: those with families would return home for the New Year, while those without families would take turns standing guard and gather at the grand hall behind the General Affairs Office building to celebrate the New Year. From December 23rd to January 5th, he kept all the core members of each company's cooking team on duty, holding a lavish banquet from 10 am to 10 pm every day, with no tables set up in advance. On the tables were sixteen kinds of stewed dishes that had been cooked halfway and then poured into large pots, with a new style every day; soldiers only needed to show their ID cards to eat freely. Every day from noon to 10 pm, twenty cauldrons of hot pot would also be sent into the grand hall, allowing off-duty soldiers to drink freely, but with one condition: no take-out allowed. Those soldiers whose families were local also took turns getting five days off, and when they were on duty, they had eight dishes at every meal, plus hot pot beef and mutton that they could eat as much as they wanted.

  Light only had food and drink, Liu Mingjiu also specially sent Wu Tongzhou to lead people to Tianjin and Beijing, and at a price several times or even ten times higher, they were invited to bring back three acrobatic troupes, two Pingju troupes, two Peking Opera troupes, three variety shows, and twenty song girls. He also sent Luo Xiliang and Han Geng to run to Fengtian City, inviting more than thirty pairs of Errenzhuan performers, performing a different show every hour, letting the officers and soldiers who entered the grand hall eat and watch the New Year's celebration. At that time, as soon as the news spread, the military police in Jianbei Liu Zhen were all stirred up, shouting "Long live the General Inspector" in unison.

  Liu Mingjiu initiated the establishment of Jianbei Chamber of Commerce in the previous year, and it was officially established during the Chinese New Year. He called out loudly, and various wealthy families, merchants, and landlords responded enthusiastically. The entire six towns started to hold fireworks competitions, dragon dance competitions, and Yangge dance competitions. For a time, Jianbei became the most lively area in Northeast China amidst the chaos. The common people could see things that only rich and noble families could see before without spending money, which also made them more supportive of this 19-year-old general manager.

  "Director, come on, let me and my future wife offer you a toast. Honestly, I'm Zhang Laosan, from the age of 15, I've been carrying a gun for eight years now, this is the first time I've met an officer like you who's so good to us brothers. Not for anything else, but because of your continuous reforms, our lives are getting better and better, our hearts more and more at peace. If we really go into battle in the future, whoever dares to lose face for you will be dealt with by me first." A soldier wearing a security team's uniform walked up to Liu Mingjiu sitting in the front row of the grand hall, raised his cup and toasted him and Zhao Bilin who had just returned home for Chinese New Year.

  Zhao Biling was no longer so shy at this time, although the two had not formally engaged. However, everyone in Jianchang County knew about their relationship. She returned to Beijing less than three months ago and exchanged letters with Liu Mingjiu every three or five days. Their feelings for each other were now even sweeter. Seeing the upper officer walk over to toast, she also raised the red wine in her glass and took a sip along with Liu Mingjiu.

  At this time, Luo Xiang also walked over, he was already slightly drunk, holding a wine glass and swaying back and forth to sit in the empty seat next to Liu Mingjiu, with one hand on Liu Mingjiu's shoulder, saying: "Jiuzi, come on, let's have a drink together. To be honest, I really didn't expect you to change so much after that fall. From now on, we brothers will all become people who bring good fortune to you. Honestly, when you first became the platoon leader, I really didn't think highly of you, you little brat. Now, damn it, whoever dares to look down on you, I'll be the first to blast him away."

  "Look at you, stinky donkey, what's the point of drinking so much? You have a family too, why not go back and accompany your wife?" Zhao Bili said with a smile as she saw Luo Xiangliang in his drunken state.

  Luohai and Liu Mingjiu clinked their cups together, then downed a cup. After hearing Zhao Bilin's words, he turned around and started talking to her again: "This...this isn't even anything yet, you're already helping your grandfather? Don't worry, even if you two have a wedding tonight, we can't get this big wine jar drunk. He alone can drink me and 'Ghost Slip' under the table." After finishing speaking, he actually put his head on the table and started snoring, not waiting for Zhao Bilin to retort to his joking words.

  Liu Mingjiu looked at Luo Xiliang who had fallen asleep in front of him and couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Bilind, it seems I'll have to postpone helping you take revenge till tomorrow. Xiao Heizi, quickly come and send your Laozhang back home! Haha, hope his wife doesn't scold him for not being able to hold his liquor and still trying to be tough, haha."

  The guard following Luo Xiangyang heard Liu Mingjiu's call, responded with a sound, and then walked forward, holding up the already drunk Luo Xiangyang and leaving the grand hall.

  Zhaobi Lin looked at the soldiers who were drunk and sleeping all over the hall, then turned to look at Liu Mingjiu with a smile: "Nine, your subordinates usually see you like mice seeing a cat. How did they become so bold today?"

  "Haha, I gave them orders since the 23rd of last month. After entering the grand hall, they all entered the house, only brothers without superiors or inferiors. Whoever brings those formal things to me, whoever brings outside things in, will be punished with a tankard of wine. Hehe, that tankard, calculated in Western style, is at least one and a half kilograms." Liu Mingjiu was also slightly drunk, but his eyes looking at Zhao Bilin were still gentle as water, without any sign of disorder.

  Zhao Bili listened and burst out laughing: "You're really a freak, I've never seen anyone like you in the Yi army, people respect their superiors, but with you, it's the other way around, you have to be forced to drink."

  "You, you haven't discovered that he is a monster? I, I discovered it early on." Wu Tongjin, who was already drunk and staggering, came over and inserted a sentence, then sat down in Luo Xiliang's previous seat and continued to say with a thick tongue: "You, you will follow him from now on, and you will be surprised. This year, he has made brothers surprised too many times."

  "Alright, you can also roll back home now, don't sleep by my side later. Pillar, take this kid back to his house for me. Don't let them all sleep by my side later. You guys are comfortable, but I won't be able to hold on anymore." Liu Mingjiu interrupted Wu Tongjin's words and called over his guards to send him back home as well.

  "It's time to set off the firecrackers." Sergeant Shen Fengyuan, now a squad leader of the guard team, walked up to Liu Mingjiu, saluted and said, then helped Liu Mingjiu up who was also slightly drunk.

  Liu Mingjiu stood up, shook his head a few times and said: "Go, let the artillery company of the teaching regiment take out those thirty German field guns that were just bought back. Today is the 30th, we will use these foreign cannons to blast away all the monsters and ghosts for our fellow villagers."

  "What? German field gun? When did you buy this again?" Zhao Bi asked in surprise after Liu Mingjiu finished speaking.

  Liu Mingjiu was supported by Shen Fengyuan, took a look at his beloved, suddenly pushed away Shen Fengyuan, and hugged her into his arms. He whispered in her ear: "Half a month ago I bought it, hehe, I still have a batch of stuff, after a while let you see the old Maozi's mortar."

  "So many people are watching, what are you doing?" Zhao Bihui was suddenly pulled into his arms, and her face immediately flushed with red clouds. Although the relationship between the two had already been widely known, it was still embarrassing under the gaze of everyone. After pushing Liu Mingjiu away, she said: "You're so capable of stirring up trouble, turning two connected units into cavalry, and now you're even bringing out big guns."

  Liu Mingjiu looked at her rosy face and smiled, saying: "What's the big deal about cavalry? If they give me a formal division commander position now, I can even create an armored tank regiment. What's the point of artillery? If possible, I'll even play with guided missiles in the future."

  "Missile? What's that thing? Is it more powerful than a cannon?" Zhao Bihua looked at Liu Mingjiu strangely after he finished speaking.

  Liu Mingjiu only then realized he had misspoken, in this era, perhaps missiles were still just a dream. So he quickly made amends: "Flying projectiles are the most formidable, it also has another name, called missile, what's most terrifying is that I'm here to cause trouble." After finishing speaking, his hand directly went towards Zhao Bilin's armpit and shouted: "Invincible Super Troublemaker has arrived!"

  Frightened, Zhao Bihua fled in a hurry, quickly running out of the door, and while running, she turned her head and shouted: "This is not a weapon, it's a rascal!"

  The several officers and soldiers sitting at the gate saw the couple being so playful, couldn't help but burst out laughing, however when they saw Liu Mingjiu staring at them with a cold face, they immediately stifled their laughter. But unexpectedly, after seeing their fearful appearance, Liu Mingjiu himself smiled and walked out of the door.

  As he walked to the entrance, the German instructor Geck, who was invited by Liu Mingjiu from Tianjin, came up to him with a standard German military salute and said loudly: "Report to Director Liu, the artillery team is ready, please give the order to fire."

  "Alright, target that small hill two miles away, fire the cannon." Liu Mingjiu didn't waste any words and gave the order directly. Zhao Bilin had never actually seen a big cannon before, but she had heard it was very loud, so after Liu Mingjiu finished speaking, she hid behind him again. Seeing her frightened expression, Liu Mingjiu casually pulled her back to his side with his left hand, tightly embracing her.

  After Ge Ke received Liu Mingjiu, the German veteran who had been in China for eight years also walked back to the artillery squadron and gave the order to open fire. Suddenly, thirty field guns fired one after another, and the shells fell accurately on a mountain about a kilometer away, causing a deafening explosion. After the blast, a cloud of dust and rocks rose from the small mountain. Zhao Bilin, who was hiding in Liu Mingjiu's warm arms, opened her eyes wide to watch the shocking scene, and had already started trembling. Liu Mingjiu felt her tremble and gently stroked her shoulder, which finally calmed her down.

  After the big guns went off, the whole town was filled with the sound of firecrackers and drums, dozens of dragon dance teams, yangko teams, and flower car teams took to the streets, the entire Lingjiao Tower Town became a sea of joy.

  Next episode preview: The local tyrant refuses to submit to others, but his family is destroyed in a New Year's Eve disaster.

  Today, I made another sprint of 20,000 words and successfully uploaded the manuscript at one time. I hope that book friends can give me some advice without reservation and vote for me more, thank you.