Chapter 20: A Busy Day 4

  Chen Haisong rushed to the warehouse, where more than 100 of his seriously injured soldiers and over 30 seriously injured militiamen from Xunhua were packed tightly into several rooms. There were no beds, so they had to spread out straw mats on the floor for treatment.

  The poor ventilation in winter made the smell inside the house very strong, and he shook his head. After a few simple comforting words to the injured person, he returned to the hospital and asked several people before finding the dean.

  The director, surnamed Liu, is from Xi'an, over 40 years old, wearing black-framed glasses with a scholarly air, very elegant and refined. He was making his rounds while Chen Haisheng stood outside the door, patiently watching them treat the wounded. Very professional, very dedicated.

  Director Liu walked out of the ward, Chen Haisheng hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Director, you've worked hard. I'm from the Luhua Minlian team. Can I have a word with you?"

  Director Liu took a look and felt that this person didn't seem like the rough and rude men from the Ma family army, he was knowledgeable and courteous, so he led him to his office.

  The two sat down, and Director Liu asked: "I don't know what this official wants to see me for?"

  "Ah, yes. My medical team received over 140 wounded people last night, all with gunshot or knife wounds, and some with frostbite. I just visited them and felt that their treatment conditions are relatively poor, with too many people crowded together, lying on the floor, poor ventilation, which can easily lead to infection and is very unfavorable for their recovery."

  "You've also seen the conditions in the hospital, the venue is narrow and there are too many patients. I also want to improve, but with such conditions, what can we do? For us, they are all wounded, we can't be thick-skinned and thin-skinned, right?"

  "I have a solution. My camp has some empty rooms and three doctors, more than ten nurses, but the medical conditions are too simple, the professional technology is not good, and there are not many treatment drugs."

  I think we can work together to transfer my wounded personnel back, reducing the pressure on your side. Your hospital can send a few more doctors and ten nurses, bringing basic equipment and medicine to open a branch in my place.

  "I guarantee they won't be disturbed? Is that okay with you?"

  "You're really special, no one in the National Army cares about the wounded like you do. The Ma family's army would just abandon them and not care. Why are you doing this?" Director Liu asked with confusion.

  "Ah, don't laugh at me, Director. I'm also from a poor family. These wounded soldiers are all poor farmers and the pillars of their families. If they encounter misfortune, their families will lose hope. So, being able to save one is like saving an entire family."

  Furthermore, these are all seasoned veterans, the backbone of the country, and also hot-blooded men with iron bones. The Sino-Japanese War is imminent, and the civil war will soon be over. It's time for them to make a contribution to the country. I also hope to preserve some capital for the country.

  "Dean, you've dedicated your life to saving others and healing the wounded. Please understand this personal wish of mine."

  "Haha, I didn't expect to meet a sensible person in Ma Jiajun's militia. Alright, I agree with you, tomorrow then, tomorrow you send someone to transfer the wounded and I'll make some preparations too. What's your name? We can have more chats later."

  "Little brother is a tiger."

  Leaving the hospital, Chen Haisong rode his horse to the south gate of Zhangye. At this time, although the south gate was open, there were obstacles such as wooden barriers.

  A group of merchants were arguing with the city gate guards, demanding to leave the city. Many horse-drawn carriages were parked nearby. The captain in charge of guarding the gate simply said that there was bandit activity outside the city and it was not safe to go out. Orders from above prohibited leaving the city.

  Chen Haisong saw the disorder and asked what had happened. The soldier recognized him, stood at attention and saluted: "Reporting to the officer, my unit has been ordered to implement martial law. These businessmen are demanding to leave the city, and after being persuaded, they still refuse to disperse."

  Several merchants saw an official coming and hurriedly surrounded him, chattering endlessly.

  Chen Haisong's face turned stern: "Stop arguing, what's going on here? If you have something to say, say it slowly, one at a time."

  The merchants immediately quieted down, a dark-faced man rushed to Chen Haisong and made a fist "Officer, my surname is Zhang, I have an iron shop in the west of the city, your military armory lets us make horseshoes, stirrups and swords, but we are running out of iron materials. I brought my apprentices to go to Minle to pull some iron materials, but these old men won't let us leave the city, we're really anxious."

  Another thin businessman followed, "Officer, I am Wang Laoer of Yongxiang Fireworks Workshop. The military armory also asked us to rush a batch of gunpowder, but the production of saltpeter and sulfur is outside the city, we are also going to pull raw materials."

  A shopkeeper-like man with a Shanxi accent said: "I'm Song Chengde from Baoxing Warehouse, the military supply department of your honorable army has asked us to provide beef and mutton, oil, and vegetables. Every day we have to go out of the city to Su'nan Pasture to collect goods. Why are you blocking us today?"

  "Everyone, please calm down. All the ships are here to help our army and we should let them go. However, we have received intelligence reports that a group of Red Bandits has recently fled to the vicinity of Zhangye, posing a threat to the local area. I'm afraid it's not safe for you all to leave, and if something unfortunate happens, it will be too late to regret."

  Bao Xing warehouse Song Chengde said: "I have met the red bandits, they are quite friendly and do not beat or scold people, nor do they rob money. When buying our goods, it is also a fair deal." The others nodded in agreement.

  "So you're willing to meet with the Red Bandits? You're speaking treason." The few of them were so frightened that they couldn't even say no.

  "Considering you are all procurement personnel for military supplies, I can release you, but for your safety and to prevent you from collaborating with the enemy or providing aid to them, I will assign someone to escort and protect you. Are you willing?"

  "That's great."

  Chen Haisong turned around and said to the captain of the guard: "Each business sends 3 people, escorting along the way, strictly forbidden to escape midway, go quickly and return quickly."

  He then said to several merchants, "The enemy is pressing in, we can't help but defend, please be careful. It's not easy to go out once, if you can sell more, buy some more, so as not to run back and forth." The several merchants thanked him repeatedly, and led the people and horse carts out of the city.

  Chen Haisong instructed the warriors who were about to leave the city to prevent personnel from getting lost, transmit intelligence within the city, observe enemy movements along the way, and collect information on raw material production areas, personnel, and output. Several people took orders and chased after them.

  Chen Haisong asked the captain of the guard again: "How many batches of people have entered today?"

  "Reporting to the superior, eight batches have arrived one after another. Five batches came to pick up materials, two batches came to rush the delivery of materials, and one batch came from Qinghai direction to deliver materials."

  "Was there no order given?" "None."

  "Which troops are leading the delivery of materials?"

  "The 100th Division and the Cavalry Fifth Division Artillery Regiment, their supplies were transported from Zhangye. It is said that our main force is fighting southward, the front line is fiercely firing, and they are consuming a lot of ammunition."

  "You must strengthen your defense and send cavalry 5 miles ahead to scout out the enemy situation. If a large group of enemies comes, report immediately." "Yes."

  Back at the headquarters, it was around 5 pm, and the sky had already darkened. Chen Haisong called in Hospital Director Zhong Youwei and Lu Ming, requiring them to quickly clear out empty rooms in the rear of the camp, set up beds and treatment rooms, pharmacy, and prepare for the arrival of wounded soldiers.

  Remind them to respect the doctors of the Army Hospital, learn treatment techniques with an open mind, provide convenient conditions and living conditions, let them settle down and actively treat, extract female soldiers or female sanitation workers and medical personnel from various units to participate in nursing work, learn standardized nursing techniques and nursing processes, lay a technical foundation for the development of the hospital.

  At 6 o'clock in the evening, Chen Haisong came to the Muslim detachment to chat with Han Zhongliang. The Muslim detachment had moved to the East Campus at this time, and together with the First Battalion of the First Regiment, they were guarding more than 1,200 captured soldiers from the 600th Regiment and over 200 Ma Jiajun soldiers who came to pick up supplies.

  In the original history, the Western Route Army was always in a passive defensive and strategic retreat situation, never actively organizing effective ambushes, encirclements, and pursuits, so they rarely captured Ma's army prisoners. Only when they had just crossed the Yellow River did they capture dozens of soldiers from Ma Lu's Fifth Cavalry Division near a mountain, who were later released on the battlefield.

  On January 1, the Red Fifth Army quickly approached Gaotai. More than 800 local militiamen in the city chose to surrender, and more than 300 were incorporated into the Red Army. It was these militiamen who opened the city gate on the 20th, causing Gaotai City to be broken and the Fifth Army to be destroyed.

  Now that he has 1,500 regular Ma family soldiers in his hands, it's really making him both proud and worried, if not handled properly, it would be a huge time bomb that would destroy the entire plan.

  In the end, this worry was replaced by confidence in the political advantage of the Red Army. As long as we do not discriminate against or mistreat these prisoners, let them feel the kindness and generosity of the Red Army's national policy, and combine it with patient education and living care, even the brutal and savage Ma Jiajun can be transformed.

  The East Campus covers a large area and can accommodate 3,000 people for training.

  The independent regiment designated most areas as free activity zones, allowing the captives to move freely. There were no guards within the activity zone, and Muslim troops could enter and exit at will, exchanging views with the captives on the independence of the regiment and their personal experiences, eliminating the other's fear psychology, dispelling the idea of escape and riot. It also played a role in stabilizing the emotions of the captives.

  The captives have some demands, which they put forward through them.

  One battalion is closely monitoring outside the activity area, and the entire east campus seems relatively calm.

  Thank you for your attention to Western Road Army, sorry, busy with work today, two updates.