Bright Sword: From Soldier to Brigade Commander

1000 officers and soldiers, dragging their exhausted bodies and carrying more than 150 wounded and killed soldiers, looked down upon the flames of the Japanese aircraft explosion in the distance, and set out on their journey again, meeting up with the independent regiment 1500 meters away.

Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, Sun Desheng, Shen Quan, Wei Dayong and others are here!

They cheered and congratulated Mercedes-Benz from afar.

"Su Fei, you guys are awesome!"

"Oh my god, you shot down all the Japanese planes?"

"It was so exciting! We saw with our own eyes the Japanese planes that had been bullying us fall from the sky one after another, emitting black smoke and exploding. We were so excited that we cried!"

The officers and soldiers on both sides rushed forward and hugged each other.

Some veterans recruited from Wanjia Town set out from here to join the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and went on expeditions to northeastern Shanxi and western Hebei. They returned after escaping death and saw that there were people they knew in the independent regiment, and they burst into tears on the spot.

Su Fei saluted Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang, standing at attention. "Hello, old regiment commander, hello, political commissar, thank you for welcoming me."

Li Yunlong looked Su Fei up and down, then looked at his troops, with a complicated expression: "The National Army is really powerful. Look, your weapons and equipment are really good, too good. If our Eighth Route Army also had such equipment, let alone Taiyuan City, even the puppet capital of Manchukuo, Changchun, and the capital of Japan, Tokyo, we can take it down!"

Political Commissar Zhao Gang's face was filled with a kind and elegant smile. "Su Fei, you have worked hard. Breaking through Baishishan to get here, hundreds of miles away, is not an easy journey. In the history of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, you have not disgraced the teachings and spirit of our Eighth Route Army. I congratulate you."

He then comforted Li Yunlong, "Old Li, Division Commander Su Fei doesn't treat us as outsiders. Even when he needed support during the breakout, he kept asking our independent regiment for help. Are you still being so reserved?"

Li Yunlong was immediately relieved. "Well said, Su Fei, you haven't disgraced the teachings and spirit of our Eighth Route Army and have fought so many brilliant battles. I admire you! Now, where are you going? If you have a place to go, our mission of picking you up will be completed. We welcome you to see you off. If you don't have a place to stay for the time being, you can come to our independent regiment to rest."

Shen Quan, Sun Desheng, Wei Dayong and others were also waving and laughing excitedly at Su Fei.

Su Fei nodded enthusiastically to them before he came to his senses.

Suddenly there was a sense of sadness.

Li Yunlong's sarcasm, Zhao Gang's politeness, and the sincere and innocent smiles of Shen Quan, Sun Desheng, Wei Dayong and others made him understand that the independent regiment today is no longer his warm home, a spiritual home where he can rest his head at will.

In sorrow, he thought of his wife Fanglin who had just died, and also of this place being in northwest Shanxi, where he had come from, Baijia Town, Wanjia Town, Bai Yan and Zhiyuan, more than thirty nominal concubines, familiar scenes, familiar smiles, all of which had actually drifted away from him. He had gone on an expedition at the risk of his life, been ambushed and abandoned by the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, ignored by other national troops, and had been struggling in all directions. What was the point?

The impermanence of life, loneliness and resentment, the melancholy of the returning wanderer, instantly turned into tears of grievance, bursting out of the eyes.

Li Yunlong thought his words were too extreme and laughed awkwardly: "Look, Commander Su Fei, Political Commissar, I didn't say anything excessive, did I?"

Zhao Gang poked his waist with his hand, winked, and said to Su Fei with a smile: "Commander Su, no, Comrade Su Fei, you are too tired. Come on, come back with us to rest!"

At this moment, Shen Quan, Sun Desheng, Wei Dayong and the others looked at each other, wondering why Su Fei was crying. In their eyes, she should be crying tears of joy. Li Yunlong had no problem speaking. It was normal for him to curse, right?

At this time, someone ran over from behind and whispered something in Political Commissar Zhao Gang's ear.

It’s Xing Zhiguo.

The political commissar immediately whispered to Li Yunlong.

Li Yunlong's face changed drastically, filled with shame, and even a little shy: "I'm sorry, Su, Comrade Su Fei, where is your wife now? Let's go pay our respects!"

Xing Zhiguo came over and pulled Su Fei's arm.

Political Commissar Zhao Gang immediately shouted, "All company-level cadres, come here for a meeting immediately."

Soldiers were digging graves to bury 97 officers and men who had been killed in the bombing by enemy aircraft. They buried them collectively and asked officers to record their unit numbers, names, and places of origin.

Fanglin...is extremely miserable, and has become a mutilated person.

Although this pretty girl's feelings for Su Fei were not pure, her respect and love for him were sincere.

Su Fei also quickly recovered from his previous emotion. After the officers and soldiers dug a shallow pit, he knelt down and hugged the incomplete corpse tightly in his arms. The blood soaked his military uniform and the temperature of the corpse was gradually dissipating.

Putting it in the pit, Su Fei took a few steps back, kowtowed three times, asked the soldier for the iron rod, and buried it quickly.

The soldiers had already placed a wooden sign, "Division Commander, you..."

Su Fei took the brush and carefully wrote: From your husband, Zu Fanglin, Su Fei's wife.

After sighing for a while, Su Fei felt empty inside.

Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, Xing Zhiguo, Sun Desheng and others, company-level cadres of the independent regiment, all came to pay their respects.

Su Fei stopped her: "No need, she is just my family."

Li Yunlong patted Su Fei's shoulder and said, "Don't be sad, Su Fei. I, Li Yunlong, promise to tell you one more thing later. You are my matchmaker, Li Yunlong. I will definitely repay you for this friendship!"

"Everyone gather! Let's observe three minutes of silence for Ms. Zu Fanglin who died heroically in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the 97 soldiers who died in this battle!" Political Commissar Zhao Gang instructed in a sad voice.

Salute and observe a moment of silence.

Su Fei quickly struggled out of his vulnerability. Now was not the time to indulge in sentimentality or to feel sorry for himself. The Japanese army's pursuit was definitely not over. After the bombing, there would definitely be large-scale raids and an iron wall encirclement. Okamura Neiji was not that kind!

"Old regiment commander, old political commissar, we must rely on the independent regiment now. I hope you can arrange a place for us. Can you arrange for Baijia Town and Wanjia Town?"

Su Fei asked hesitantly.

Li Yunlong immediately patted his chest and said, "Okay, arrange it immediately. Now, whether it is Baijia Town or Wanjia Town, it is under the jurisdiction of our independent regiment. You can choose any one and we will send someone to escort them there. No, I will go myself. Political Commissar, you send someone to notify Zhang Dabiao to deliver the food immediately."

Su Fei waved his hand to stop him, observing the distance and then looking east through a telescope. "Old Commander, how many people are there in your independent regiment now? How many machine guns, mortars, mountain cannons, and rifles are there?"

Li Yunlong was stunned, his tone becoming harsh. "Are you here to investigate on behalf of the Nationalist Army? Aren't you meddling too much?"

Xing Zhiguo quickly tried to smooth things over: "Division Commander, this is the independent regiment's military secret, right?"

Su Fei smiled: "Political Commissar, you know, right?"

Political Commissar Zhao's wise eyes flickered a few times, and he said seriously, "I'm reporting to Division Commander Su. Our independent regiment is recovering very rapidly. We now have five battalions with a total strength of approximately 4092 people. We are currently equipped with a total of 1643 rifles, 30 machine guns, 12 mortars, and 4 machine guns. We previously captured a large amount of ammunition and weapons, and except for consumption and damage, we transferred a large amount to our brother units, especially the main numerical units. Now, ammunition is also very short!"

Su Fei immediately called over the officers of his unit: "Listen, right now, immediately, deliver 500 light machine guns, 50 mortars, 15 mountain cannons, and matching ammunition to the independent regiment. Also, bring over 15 captured Japanese radios, 100 binoculars, and 1000 rifles."

The officers stood at attention and saluted: "Yes, Commander!"

Li Yunlong was shocked.

Political Commissar Zhao Gang was stunned.

Sun Desheng, Shen Quan, Wei Dayong and others were stunned.

All the cadres and soldiers of the independent regiment were stunned.

Su Fei's troops quickly took a large number of weapons and ammunition from the trucks and horses. After counting, they placed them in neat rows on the ground.

Li Yunlong was the first to grab Su Fei's arm. "Su Fei, you actually hit me with these things? You've become quite capable. Where did these things come from? From the Nationalist army? Or were they captured in battle? Why are there so many?"

Su Fei smiled and said, "Old Commander, our independent division has surrendered to you. This is protection money. Don't worry about whether the source is white or black. As long as it can be used, it's fine."

Xing Zhiguo had already explained the situation. Although it was simple and clear, Li Yunlong and others were still dumbfounded.

"You completely wiped out the Japanese 110th Division in Tanghe and Wanxian City? And you wiped out more than 20,000 Japanese soldiers in Baishishan? No way? Why is there no news from the Japanese devils? The National Army newspapers didn't say anything either?" Li Yunlong didn't believe it, Political Commissar Zhao Gang didn't believe it, and no one believed it.

Su Fei didn't argue.

It's indeed unbelievable.

However, the victory in Wan County was due not only to the surprise attack tactics and the arrogance and laxity of the Japanese army, but also to the participation of tens of thousands of civilians in the battle, which completely reversed the situation. The battle of Baishishan was mainly due to the self-defeating efforts of General Okamura Yasuji and the commander of the 21st Division, Lieutenant General Nagatsu Saki. If the offensive and consumption continued, the independent division would have been wiped out with the advantages of the Japanese army's field artillery and aerial bombardment.

The news did not spread, probably because the Nationalist army did not dare to believe it and the Japanese army did not want to lose face.

In the battle to annihilate the 110th Division, although Commander Zu was promoted, it was probably just a consolation reward given by the upper echelons of the Nationalist government. They didn't believe that his troops could annihilate a whole division of the Japanese army in one fell swoop. They probably thought of them as a regiment, right?

In the Battle of Baishishan, it is estimated that both the Eighth Route Army and the National Army to whom Su Fei sent the telegram thought he was joking.

1000 rifles, 500 light machine guns, 50 mortars, 15 mountain cannons, as well as radios, telescopes, etc. were piled up like mountains and have been counted.

Li Yunlong and others were still in a dream, "Hurry up, we're getting rich, the landlords are losing their fortunes, comrades, come on!"

Holding a light machine gun, he dropped it, then picked up a mortar, put it down, and stroked the mountain cannon. Li Yunlong finally believed it, but he was not as excited as the cadres and soldiers. Instead, he felt a little embarrassed and lost.

"Su Fei, damn, you're much more capable than me, Li Yunlong!"

Su Fei quickly said modestly: "Old Captain, I am your student. It is only natural that the disciple surpasses the master! Right?"

Li Yunlong finally laughed happily.

"Hey, this student is amazing, so amazing, and he's grateful and not an ungrateful person! I almost misjudged him! Comrade Su Fei, on behalf of all the cadres and soldiers of the Independent Regiment, I want to express my gratitude to you. You remember the well-digger when you drink water. You're a good man, and you have guts!"

Su Fei's troops quickly entered Baijia Town.

When he revisited the old place, people and things had changed. Su Fei went to the graves of Bai Yan and Zhi Yuan outside the town to pay his respects. He did not cry, but only smiled bitterly.

It's so bitter that it makes the soul want to shed its shell.

I also met with the surviving people of Baijia Town and sighed with emotion.

They did not dare to delay preparations, so they used the existing tunnel system in Baijia Town to reinforce it and all personnel were ready for battle.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang came over in person, "Su Fei, do you think the Japanese army will come to sweep?"

Su Fei quickly explained the situation of the Battle of Baishishan and the subsequent pursuit and blockade, and concluded that Okamura Yasuji would not be willing to give up. At the same time, he announced that this time, he would not leave, but would return to the Eighth Route Army, cancel the independent division, and wait for a few days when things were stable before allowing the officers and soldiers who were willing to leave to leave.

Li Yunlong even cried.

"You're finally back. Do you know how I felt after you joined the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army? You drained me out of my life! You're such an ungrateful idiot. You finally came back now?"

Political Commissar Zhao Gang coughed hurriedly to remind him not to bring up old issues.

Li Yunlong wrung his nose and wiped it on the edge of his loafers. "Su Fei, I don't submit to anyone below the rank of brigade commander. Don't look at Blind Cheng and the others as arrogant. I'm much better than them. I only submit to you, a stinky boy. In just a few days, you've done much better than me. You're really capable."

Su Fei laughed: "Old Captain, you scolded me well. I was too proud. Now that I have run into obstacles, I realize that our Eighth Route Army is the best. Especially now that all my so-called wives and concubines are dead and I have become a proletarian, I can put down my burdens and join the Eighth Route Army wholeheartedly."

Li Yunlong howled, his long, sallow face gleaming with shrewd eyes. Suddenly, he froze and pulled Political Commissar Zhao Gang over, his eyes red with excitement. "Political Commissar, Old Zhao, I think we've all wronged Comrade Su Fei. Is he leaving because his concubines are violating our discipline? Now I suddenly understand. He's not just unwilling to take a higher position than us, he's a good comrade who sticks to his principles. Old Zhao, you must immediately send a telegram to the brigade commander overnight, informing him of this good news and the dowry Comrade Su Fei has brought to our Eighth Route Army. By the way, hand over 400 light machine guns, 30 mortars, and 10 mountain cannons to the brigade headquarters. You must especially emphasize that Comrade Su Fei is a good comrade. He left our Eighth Route Army, the Special Operations Brigade, not out of selfishness, but for special reasons. He's a good comrade, a good boy, and a good soldier. I, Li Yunlong, guarantee him with my own life!"