Chapter 47: The Great Meaning

(...If we didn't fight, even though China was big, we wouldn't even have a place to put down a bed. What a simple truth! But during the eight years of the War of Resistance, few people really realized this, including us veterans; many times we went to the battlefield entirely because of our loyalty and feelings for our superiors... Excerpted from "Grandpa's Memories of the War of Resistance")

The lights are dim, the wine is fragrant, and half drunk and half awake, the word "drunk and dreaming" appears repeatedly in Cao Xiaomin's mind. This is a derogatory term, although it is often used as a compliment by the petty bourgeoisie and nouveau riche in later generations; in a state of confusion, some memories of grandpa will sometimes suddenly appear in his mind. Suddenly, Cao Xiaomin was in a cold war: they retreated along the way, but they did not encounter a line of defense. If the Japanese also sent troops to infiltrate in a small way!... No! If the Japanese had already done that! The small Japanese army they annihilated on the road might have been to the front stand! Also, the Japanese would massacre civilians!

Before dawn the next day, the anti-Japanese hero Cao Xiaomin stimulated himself with cold water. After taking a cold shower, he felt that the alcohol had almost gone. Then he wrote a report and forgot the Suzhou Garrison Command to run away.

"Are you an anti-Japanese hero Cao Xiaomin?" The guard at the gate smiled awkwardly: "Want to come and cheat food and drink? Chief Cao came last night! Today, my brother is in a good mood and won't bother with you. Also, remember not to be so famous next time I impersonate you!"

Cao Xiaomin was both angry and funny: "**You will die if you go in and report it!? I was having a drink inside last night. They even changed my tweed coats and took photos. Yes!? Go in quickly and say I have an emergency military report!"

The guards didn't look like they were joking. He was indeed too far away last night and didn't see clearly what Cao Xiaomin looked like, so he didn't dare to neglect and went in.

"You, dressed like this, no wonder the soldiers couldn't recognize him..." A major officer came out and asked several questions before laughing and accompanied Cao Xiaomin inside. Obviously, the officer did not recognize Cao Xiaomin either.

The command center was very busy, and everyone was busy processing this information and giving various orders. Cao Xiaomin was left alone. He had washed himself in the small mountain village once. In his seemingly clean military uniform, Cao Xiaomin was in a corner of the cold and sour place, waiting for the superior to receive him. The command center came and went, except for soldiers, generally the military ranks were above the second lieutenant, and the uniforms were also in a straight Central Army uniform. At first glance, Cao Xiaomin looked like an outsider.

"What you said is very important!" A chief came to Cao Xiaomin and listened to his report. After receiving his report, he tightened his eyebrows and said to him: "Let's do this, now the garrison troops in Suzhou have been sent out in all directions, otherwise your troops will also go out of the city to guard... By the way, don't talk about the Japanese massacre civilians everywhere, don't cause panic..."

Cao Xiaomin was very excited to leave with the headquarters' departing road. His report was taken seriously. Perhaps the Kuomintang army would strengthen its vigilance and not give the Japanese an opportunity to take advantage of...

"That's right. These low-level officers always think that they can see big problems and think that they can control the situation of the war..." After watching Cao Xiaomin leave, the commander who received Cao Xiaomin threw his report into the wastebasket and said to a adviser: "He is now a nationally renowned anti-Japanese hero, don't neglect them too much; if you encounter such a thing in the future, do you know?"

Since the beginning of the Battle of Songhu, Suzhou City has been bombed by the Japanese air force. Ruins collapsed by aviation bombs can be seen everywhere in the city. The small bridge is still like that, and the flowing water is green and quiet, but the pedestrians on the road seem anxious and panicked. People who go out trot or walk quickly through every road. The gates of the courtyards next to the road are basically closed, and it is rare to see shops opening their business. Somehow, Cao Xiaomin's heart is getting heavier as he walks. He seems to see the famous Suzhou gardens moaning in the fire, and countless corpses float on the small rivers that cover the city...

Is it safe to hide at home? Looking at the closed doors, Cao Xiaomin felt like he had lead fell in his heart. From his grandfather's memoirs, he knew that the Japanese had been in charge of massacre since Suzhou. Even if you can't fight, wouldn't you still run away?! Cao Xiaomin really wanted to kick open every door and drive out those timid ostrichs, but would it be useful if they really kicked open? Will anyone believe what he said?

In the original time and space, although his family was poor, Suzhou, which was close to him, was the place he had been to and one of the few tourist spots he had visited. He still remembered that the place he lived in seemed to be called Mudu, there was a newly built 10,000-person wharf on it, and there was a pair asking for the second couplet. It seemed that it had a bonus of 20,000 yuan, which made him read the computer and read the ancient book for two days... Also, there is a western mountain in Suzhou called Shigong Mountain, a very beautiful place. It looks like a large basin.

The lakeside hill is like a scenery, with rocks connecting the water surface, and there are many holes. When you look at it attentively, you can't tell whether the lake water pours into the hole or the lake water flows out of the hole... There is also the small hotel by the lake. Because I fell in love with the scenery here when I arrived at Xishan, two young men and women got married and started here after graduating from college. Every day after receiving guests, the young couple will continue their unfinished romance on the university campus by the Taihu Lake...

Too many! Suzhou has left Cao Xiaomin with so many beautiful memories in the original time and space. Whenever you think of such a beautiful and comfortable place that will be burned by the war, and when you think of those kind and friendly people being massacred, Cao Xiaomin's heart will be entangled with waves of sadness... What do you have to do!

"Li Bin, take your people to the city and outside the city to find the refugees who came to Suzhou with us, and ask them to tell more people about the Japanese massacre we encountered on the road, and persuade more people to escape to the opposite of Taihu Lake..." As soon as Cao Xiaomin returned to the military camp, he began to issue various thought-out orders: "The other departments are all ready to start, and we must block the paths we walked over..."

Just as the wealthy people in Suzhou were still arguing about getting a cement steel air-raid shelter, the various garrisons in Suzhou were intrigue for the scope of the garrison, Cao Xiaomin's heroic unit set off.

"Why are we? Not other troops? We have just finished fighting and have not yet had a rest..."

"I heard that the Ministry of Military Affairs is interested in transferring us back to Nanjing, so why did it become outside the garrison city?..."

"Stop worrying, even if the battalion commander wants us to die, everyone will die together..."

...If we don't fight, even though China is big, we will not even have a place to put down a bed. What a simple truth! But during the eight years of the War of Resistance Against Japan, few people truly realized this, including us veterans; many times we go to the battlefield because of loyalty and feelings for the superiors... Cao Xiaomin heard the soldiers' comments, and a passage from his grandfather's memoir sounded in his ears; yes, these soldiers are very simple. They obeyed all orders because they shared the joys and sorrows with themselves along the way, but how many of them really understand why they did this!?

In the war, it is not just these soldiers at the bottom who are concerned about gains and losses! Cao Xiaomin knew that at the top of the army, at the peak of the regime, there will be more petty and intrigue among political parties; but as a soldier, a defeated soldier who escaped with the help of the people, and a soldier who witnessed the Japanese killing of his own nation, he could only choose to fight unconditionally!

"Stop!" When we arrived at the Suzhou city gate, Cao Xiaomin suddenly shouted: "I know, everyone is still very tired, and our troops have not completed the remediation. This time our mission is to plug the leaks. Once we fight, it will be a deadly battle that cannot be retreated. If someone doesn't want to go, then stay, not a deserter. But after leaving the Suzhou city gate, there will be no turning back!" He didn't look back after speaking, and was the first to step out of the city gate.

Since we cannot explain the truth clearly and have no time to instill great truths into soldiers, then don’t say anything; the army is not a place for reasoning, but this is just a place for passionate men to be loyal! But who says that these soldiers who follow them on the battlefield with a lot of doubts and complaints don’t know the righteousness? Maybe those who shout loudly beside us understand the great truths, but they know how to cherish life better; only those who don’t understand truths and only talk about loyalty will truly take their lives to defend the survival opportunity of this nation!

The troops were launched, including those recruits who joined in the Xiaoshan Village a few days ago, with a total of 722 people, all leaving the city!
Chapter completed!