Chapter Thirty Return with Full Load

  In the late afternoon, Wang Jicai and Luo Yugang had just returned from outside.

  As soon as Luo Yu Gang entered the door, he gave Chen Ji Fan and Hu Yun Feng a thumbs up, meaning it's settled. Wang Ji Cai was a bit tired, he didn't care about etiquette, as soon as he entered the door, he sat down on the chair by himself, Hu Yun Feng quickly poured him a glass of water.

  "Pardon me for being foolish, but this time I spent a whole ten or more gold bars. Director Chen, you're not a businessman, so you don't know how hard it is to make money." The implication is that the money was wasted.

  Wang Jicai's concern moved the three of them, and Chen Jifan had to explain to him that the purpose of taking over this small repair factory was to transport all the equipment back, so they could repair guns and other things in the future.

  Wang Jicai nodded as if he understood, and the matter was settled. Then everyone made a new list of materials to be purchased, preparing to buy them separately from the next day on.

  There are many materials to buy, including daily necessities such as salt, white sugar, tea leaves, cloth, cotton, soap and a small amount of cigarettes and matches; combat materials include engineer shovels, iron wire, ropes and some tools such as wire cutters; medical supplies include medicines, gauze, alcohol and some medical equipment; there are also some miscellaneous items such as stationery and paper, the quantity is not large but the variety is particularly many.

  Money makes things easier, and the gold and silver that Chen Jifan brought quickly turned into piles of supplies in the next two or three days. Wang Jicai had already contacted a warehouse to store these things. With the goods available, how to transport them became the top priority. Chen Jifan was unfamiliar with Wuhan, if even Wang Jicai couldn't do it, then Chen Jifan was even more at a loss.

  But after a few days of traveling, everyone was exhausted and when they returned to the hotel, they all went straight to rest without doing anything else.

  "Several gentlemen, someone is looking for you." The next day, the young fellow from the Jiang City Inn came knocking on the door early.

  It was Su Jingwei and a young major who came in, Su Jingwei introduced him as the deputy officer of their Taxation Police General Headquarters, Sun General's deputy officer, who had come to contact them on behalf of General Sun.

  As for the visit of this deputy officer, Chen Jifang didn't think it was anything unusual, because Sun Liren had said before that he would contact them again. However, what happened next made Chen Jifang extremely delighted.

  That person walked in and got straight to the point: "You must be Director Chen of 'Divine Eagle', Director Sun had some official business and temporarily left Wuhan, this is a letter that Director Sun left for you before he departed, please take a look."

  Chen Jifan opened the letter and found it read:

  "Dear Brother: I'm sorry that due to work, I won't be able to meet with you again, it's really a pity. Your 'Divine Eagle' fighting against the Japanese invaders is truly not easy, and I have great respect for that. I heard that you are purchasing supplies in Wuhan, but unfortunately, I couldn't assist you in any way, which makes me feel ashamed. I think that the amount of supplies you purchased is quite large, and I'm worried that you might encounter difficulties during transportation. So, without considering my own abilities, I've arranged for 8 trucks to be allocated for your use. This matter is not known by the Military Affairs Department, so please understand the difficulty I'm in and keep it strictly confidential. The trucks can transport supplies for you to Hefei, but they cannot make a return trip, please understand."

  Besides, I have already learned that Second Lieutenant Su has signed up for the 'Divine Eagle' mission. He is young and promising, and with experience, he will definitely become a capable officer. The 88 soldiers selected from the Nanjiao barracks are all approved by me. I hope you can treat these brothers well and help them fulfill their wish to fight bravely on the battlefield, and I will be deeply grateful. These 89 brothers are all brave warriors, so I have prepared some equipment for them to boost their morale. The detailed list is attached below, and you can discuss the handover with the deputy officer.

  Your younger brother's talent surpasses your older brother by ten times. If he can adapt to the current situation and join our National Revolutionary Army, it would be beneficial in two ways: first, his actions will have a good reputation; second, he will no longer be restricted by equipment and logistics. This way, your younger brother and 'Divine Eagle' can achieve great things together, isn't that wonderful? Does your younger brother not have any intention to do so?

  Today we part ways, I don't know when we'll meet again, I'm not feeling overly sentimental, take care of yourself, brother.

  Brother Sun Li Ren bowed his head. February 27, 1938

  Chen Jifan finished reading the letter and then opened the list, which read:

  Mauser 7.63mm pistol 20 pieces, bullets 10,000 rounds;

  Domestically produced Thompson submachine guns: 80; bullets: 600,000 rounds

  Canada: 5 x M2 Browning machine guns, 10,000 rounds of ammunition

  Wooden handle grenade 50 boxes

  100 kilograms of explosives

  500 landmines

  100 helmets, 100 pairs of leather boots, 100 sets of belts.

  5 barrels of gasoline.

  Chen Jifan let out a long sigh of relief after reading the list, this fellow villager was really generous, these materials were exactly what he needed most, it seemed that General Sun Liren had put in some effort.

  Chen Jifan put away the letter and list, then stepped forward and tightly grasped the deputy officer's hand, saying: "General Sun's great kindness, we have no way to repay it. Please pass on to General Sun that General Sun and the Taxation Police Corps' generous gift has been accepted. The 'Divine Eagle' will definitely kill more devils on the battlefield as a way of thanking General Sun and your army for their kindness."

  The officer said: "Officer Chen doesn't have to be so polite, General Sun has ordered that your army is having a hard time fighting in the enemy's rear, as fellow Chinese soldiers we should help each other. General Sun said if you really want to thank him, please give him a few more bullets for that handgun, he says he likes this gun very much. He also said that if Officer Chen finds it convenient, next time get him a Japanese officer's sword."

  Chen Jifan solemnly told the deputy officer, "Please inform General Sun that Chen Jifan and 'Divine Eagle' will not disappoint the general's expectations! We will definitely capture the Sasabune sword and I will personally deliver it to General Sun. As for the bullets, please wait a moment."

  After finishing, Chen Jifan called Hu Yunfeng over and instructed him for a few sentences. Hu Yunfeng immediately brought 60 rounds of ammunition. Chen Jifan handed the bullets to the deputy officer: "This time we didn't bring much, please accept it on behalf of the general."

  The deputy officer put away the bullets and said: "I would like to thank Officer Chen again on behalf of the general for the gift of the gun. Officer Chen, I have prepared all the materials on the list. When do you have time? I will accompany you to the warehouse to check."

  "Thanks for your trouble. The equipment and supplies can be left for a few more days, we still have some things to take care of in Wuhan, once they're done, I'll contact you immediately. How does that sound?"

  "Alright, General Sun also instructed that from Wuhan to Hefei, although it is a national military defense zone, with so many supplies being transported by the superiors, it's inevitable that there will be some trouble. To prevent any unexpected situations, General Sun ordered me to accompany you on this trip and said that if the superior agrees, he would like to appoint me as the permanent liaison officer of the Taxation Police Corps in your army."

  As for what Vice Officer said about the liaison officer, Chen Jifan didn't think of it, but he definitely couldn't refuse. For a moment, Chen Jifan was at a loss.

  Seeing Chen Jifan's hesitation, the deputy officer said: "Please rest assured, Director Chen. I am only serving as a liaison officer in your army and have no other intentions. Moreover, all military rules of your army also apply to me. If there is any combat action, if you trust me, please give orders directly, Li Tao will not hesitate."

  "Is your name Li Tao?" Seeing that the other party had said so much, Chen Jifan could no longer refuse. "General Li has gone to great lengths and I won't say much in thanks, but our army is deep in enemy territory and conditions are very poor, General Li will have to endure some hardship."

  "What did the officer say?" General Sun said, "It's my good fortune to be able to learn from your army." Li Tao said, "I'm even more fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from the brothers of 'Divine Eagle', I'll ask you to take care of me in the future." Li Tao finished speaking and saluted with his hand.

  Chen Jifan was no longer polite, anyway, more people meant more strength, and someone who could be valued by Sun Liren shouldn't be too bad.

  "If the officer has no further instructions, I will take my leave. Lieutenant Su knows where I live, and if there's anything else, please don't hesitate to instruct."

  Chen Jifan and Li Tao bowed and bid farewell, but found that Su Jingwei did not follow them out. He must have something to say.

  "Su, old brother, we're old friends now, no need for formalities here." Chen Jifan said as he poured him a glass of water.

  "No, sir. Since the day I decided to join your army, you have been my superior officer. It is an honor for me to follow you and fight against the devils. Sir, this is a list of names of 88 new recruits who are waiting for your final approval at the Nanjiao barracks." Su Jingwei said as he handed over a notebook.

  Chen Jifan glanced through it briefly and said to Su Jingwei, "Thanks for taking care of the military camp. Since you all come from the Taxation Police Corps, I intend to ask you to lead them. Let's discuss the formation with the people back home after we return."

  Su Jingwei was about to decline, but Chen Jifan waved his hand to stop him.

  "By the way, Su, do you know how the military uniforms we commissioned your respected father to make are coming along? To be honest, we can't wait any longer. After all, this is the first batch of standard uniforms for my 'Divine Eagle' troops, and we're all looking forward to it."

  "Yesterday, my father and I talked about this matter. My father said that this is a big deal related to the Guizhou army and cannot be taken lightly. The 2,000 sets of military uniforms ordered by the superior will be completed at most in one more day."

  "When you get back, please thank your respected father for us first and apologize for the trouble." Chen Jifan said.

  Then Chen Jifan instructed Su Jingwei to take care of the new recruits in the Nanguo barracks and have them prepare to set out at any time. They agreed to meet at the Jiangcheng Hotel early tomorrow morning to finalize the arrangements for the trucks and weapons with Deputy Officer Li.

  Su Jingwei nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving.

  Everything has been basically settled, and the day to leave Wuhan is not far away. As soon as Chen Jifang thought that Wuhan would be occupied by the Japanese army within this year, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. At this moment, Chen Jifang couldn't wait to leave Wuhan one day earlier and go to the battlefield sooner.

  After Su Jingwei left, Chen Jifan gathered Wang Jicai, Hu Yunfeng and Luo Yugang to make a division of labor. As soon as the truck arrives tomorrow, Wang Jicai and Luo Yugang will be responsible for loading all purchased materials onto the vehicle, while the remaining vehicles will go directly to the Nanjiao barracks to pick up 88 new soldiers.

  The next day, when Su Jingwei brought Chen Jifan and several others to find Vice Officer Li, he was already waiting at the door. Vice Officer Li, dressed in military uniform, took out a piece of paper from his bag and handed it to Chen Jifan, saying: "Sir, please take a look, this is a pass personally signed by General Sun. We are on a mission to transport supplies to the front line under the name of the Independent Regiment of the Taxation Police Corps. I didn't have time to report to you yesterday, please forgive me."

  Chen Jifan took a simple look at the pass and thought, "They've considered everything so thoroughly, what can I say?" Li Tao led them to the warehouse to retrieve their supplies and load up the car. After that, he said to Chen Jifan, "Sir, General Sun's instructions have all been carried out. From now on, I am a member of your team. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to instruct me."

  "Commander Li, no need to be polite. Now I want to take all these vehicles away, can I?" With the trucks in hand, Chen Jifan was eager to load up the rest of the supplies and personnel.

  "No problem, sir. As ordered by General Sun, the drivers of the eight cars are at your disposal."

  Chen Jifan took one to Su's factory to pull military uniforms, three were handed over to Wang Jicai and Luo Yuguang to transport materials in various places, and the remaining three went directly to the Nanjiao barracks.

  The Su family's factory wasn't very big, and when Chen Jifan's truck arrived, Old Man Su and Su Nianhong were already waiting there. Seeing Chen Jifan arrive, they naturally couldn't avoid exchanging some pleasantries.

  "Ah, Director Chen, you've come at just the right time. The clothes you wanted have all been made. No choice, my daughter has been pestering me every day, girls are like that. Let me take you to see the goods first." After saying this, he led everyone to the warehouse.

  Chen Jifang looked at the neatly stacked military uniforms in the warehouse, and suddenly felt an infinite sense of emotion. From now on, "Divine Eagle" would become a regular army unit, and China would have one more force to fight against the Japanese invaders.

  "Wait a minute, Mr. Su, two thousand pieces don't seem to be that many?" Chen Jifan roughly counted and found it was not right.

  "Director Chen is indeed a shrewd person, no mistake about it. We did base our calculations on 2400 sets, and the extra 400 sets are just my humble gesture of goodwill. Logically speaking, now that my son and daughter have joined your esteemed army, we can be considered one family. These 400 sets can be seen as a gift to celebrate our meeting, I hope Director Chen won't decline."

  Chen Jifang didn't say a word, at this time, whatever he said seemed so pale. The country was in trouble, and these ordinary people far behind the front lines were supporting the anti-Japanese cause in their own way. He seemed to understand why the devils had been fighting for eight years but still couldn't make China surrender, it was because of the unyielding blood flowing through the veins of most Chinese people that made China a great power after the war.

  Chen Jifan thought of Mr. Su, saluted him solemnly, and said sincerely: "Thank you, Mr. Su. We will take all the military uniforms. This is 3,200 yuan, plus the original 1,000 yuan, please count it."

  Mr. Su didn't say any more polite words, and after the accountant finished counting, Mr. Su added: "In addition to the uniforms, there are also some leftover scraps from cutting, you guys won't find it easy over there, if your clothes get torn, these scraps can come in handy."

  The completion of the military uniform marked the end of this trip to Wuhan. Chen Jifan politely declined Mr. Su's invitation to dinner and decided to set off immediately. Now, only Su Nianghong's matter has not been settled yet.

  Mr. Su seemed to see his worries and said, "My daughter has been spoiled since childhood, a bit willful, I hope Mr. Chen can give her more guidance. At this moment, my daughter should be on the way to Jiangcheng Travel Agency. The country is in trouble, we are not as good as young people, Mr. Chen, my son and daughter are entrusted to you."

  "Please rest assured, Mr. Su, although the battlefield is cruel and bullets are silent, Chen will definitely do his best to protect their safety."

  Miss Su was indeed on her way to the Jiangcheng Travel Agency, and since Chen Jifan had personally agreed to let their classmates join the "Divine Eagle" that day, everyone was excited. After returning, they discussed what to do for their own troops. So everyone took a donation box to the streets, alleys, teahouses, and taverns to raise funds, and after a few days, they had some small gains. Miss Su planned to go with everyone to report their achievements to their superior officer.

  Chen Jifan ordered Hu Yunfeng to transport a truckload of military uniforms back to the Nanjiao barracks, while he and Deputy Officer Li drove back to the hotel to look for Su Nianhong. In fact, Chen Jifan had figured it out over the past few days - these students' joining could bring cultural knowledge to the troops, at least they could serve as literacy teachers for the soldiers; secondly, with the expansion of the base area, the organizational work among the masses indeed required people to do, and this kind of work was just suitable for these students.

  Su Ni Hong immediately made a report of the past few days' achievements to his superior, Chen Ji Fan. Of course, he couldn't say anything that would dampen their spirits, so after praising them for a while, they got down to business - deciding to set off back to the front lines that very night. As soon as they heard they were leaving, these students were excited like they were going on an overseas trip. Chen Ji Fan told them to go back and get ready individually, and assemble at the Jiang Cheng Hotel at 9 pm.

  Su Ni Hong is an old warrior of the "Divine Eagle" and naturally plays a leading role. Chen Jifan stopped her, handed her some money, and asked her to buy some ladies' supplies for He Chunxiang and Xiaojuan nurses on the street before it got dark.

  Su Ni Hong listened to him finish, her face had already turned bright red. However, in her heart she admired this meticulous officer even more, she took the money and said "got it" before running off like a rabbit.

  The departure time has entered the countdown, Chen Jifan repeatedly pondered each link in his mind, wondering if there were any omissions.

  At 10 o'clock in the evening, the Nanyuan barracks welcomed the most lively day in recent months. Trucks drove into the barracks one after another. The 88 soldiers participating in the "Divine Eagle" exercise tidied themselves up and lined up neatly in a square formation, despite some of them having their arms in slings or bandages on their bodies.

  Chen Jifang is distributing military uniforms to them, and according to Sun Liren's letter, he distributed all the weapons on the vehicle to the hands of these 88 soldiers. For convenience, they were temporarily formed into two squads, sitting in two vehicles, managed by Su Jingwei and Li Tao. As for those students, they were separately assigned to one vehicle.

  Everything was ready, Chen Jifan gave the order "Departure", eight trucks lit up their headlights and drove out of the Nanjiao barracks in a mighty manner, heading west.