Newborn 1927

When Yang Jiefang returned to Qinglong Village, the village erupted in celebration once more. All the leaders, big and small, rushed out to welcome their triumphant hero. Jiang Xiaojun was the most dazzling among them, her face beaming with joy. She ran over quickly, and if it weren't for the crowd, she would have thrown herself into Yang Jiefang's arms. The prisoners were all handed over to Niu Sanbian's care, and the wounded (including those from the garrison) were treated by the newly established field hospital. After some pleasantries, Yang Jiefang casually asked, "Any news from the other groups?" Black Widow smiled and said, "Xiao Lan sent word that she and Bai Lang, together, defeated the combined attack of the Haiyang County garrison and security regiment."

Haiyang County was the most passive among the three counties in the joint anti-bandit campaign. The county seat was located in the southern part of the county, near the sea; Xujiadian was located in the northern part of Haiyang County, more than 100 li (approximately 50 kilometers) from the county seat. North of Zhuwu Village was almost entirely Qinglongzhai's territory, and the county government had virtually no control over the area. From the time Yang Jiefang built a vermicelli factory and a breeding farm in Xujiadian, the neighboring cities of Facheng and Guocheng were the first to benefit. Therefore, they opposed the suppression of Qinglongzhai and even hoped that Qinglongzhai would continue its activities for a longer period. Furthermore, when recruiting people at the beginning of the year, many people from these areas joined Qinglongzhai. It could be said that the northern part of Haiyang County was already bound to Qinglongzhai. Meanwhile, the eastern part of Haiyang County was the territory of Heixiazi of Rushanzhai. When Haiyang County mobilized security teams from various regions, only some areas responded, gathering five or six hundred people. Among them, the Gao family security team had more than one hundred people, making it the largest force.

Despite being the daughter-in-law of the Gao family, the Gao family and Qinglong Village have always kept their relationship strictly separate; outsiders are completely unaware of it. The county government conscripted security forces from various regions for the war, and after careful consideration, Gao Wen personally led the Gao family's security force to the county seat to assemble. Meanwhile, Gao Huilan was still in Qinglong Village, vying for power with Jiang Xiaojun. When she returned to the Gao family, the security force had already gone to the county seat. She consulted with Bai Lang and then, with Fatty, entered the city.

The three counties communicated via telegram through the post office and dispatched troops on the same day. Haiyang County did not adopt a battalion or company-level organization; instead, it reorganized the local security forces into five detachments. Among them, the Gaojia Security Force was organized into a separate detachment, while the other detachments were mixed together. Including the two detachments of the Haiyang County Garrison, there were a total of seven detachments with more than 800 men, all under the unified command of the garrison captain, and they set off northward.

Gao Huilan and Fatty stood out among the Gao family's security team. The team leader, Song Haiyang, gave the Gao family special treatment, arranging for them to walk in the middle of the group, closely following behind the main guard. Captain Song Haiyang trailed at the very back, occasionally chatting with the Gao family members, appearing very amiable. Gao Huilan knew his ulterior motives perfectly well. She stepped forward and said, "Captain Song, I heard that Qinglong Village has over a thousand people. With only eight hundred or so of us, can we possibly defeat them?"

Song Haiyang immediately went to Gao Huilan's side, patting his chest and saying, "Miss Gao, fighting isn't just about numbers; it's about who's in command. I'm a veteran of countless battles. Over the years, with my two or three hundred men, I've wiped out countless bandits. Now I have over eight hundred men; let alone a mere thousand, even adding another thousand bandits wouldn't be a problem." Gao Huilan said with great admiration, "Captain Song, you're amazing! Our Gao family security team hasn't fought a single battle since its inception. Please take good care of us!" Song Haiyang immediately replied, "Don't worry! I know what I'm doing. Miss Gao, if a battle breaks out, you must stay by my side. As long as I'm here, I guarantee you'll be unharmed." Gao Huilan smiled and said, "Thank you very much, Captain Song!"

Seeing that she didn't refuse, Song Haiyang continued, "Actually, fighting is a man's job. You girls should stay home and raise your children. Why suffer with us?" Gao Huilan replied, "Captain Song, you don't know, my father was kidnapped by Qinglong Village and died there. Alas, I'm a girl, I can't handle weapons, and I can't avenge my father myself; if any great hero could avenge me, I would gladly serve him as a slave for life." Song Haiyang was overjoyed and laughed, "Miss Gao, you're too kind, there's no need!" He turned around and shouted, "At this slow pace, when will we reach Qinglong Village? Pass down the order to speed things up! I'll reward you handsomely after we wipe out Qinglong Village!"

Fatty tugged at Gao Huilan's sleeve, stepped aside, and whispered, "Miss, isn't it a bit inappropriate to say that? What if Captain Song really fights the young master to the death?" Gao Huilan replied irritably, "What do you know? Commanders must remain calm in battle. The more impulsive he is, the faster he'll die!"

Urged on by Song Haiyang, the entire group's speed noticeably increased. Haiyang County's coastal area is flat, while the north is mountainous. They set off from the county town in the morning, and by noon, they had already covered thirty or forty li (approximately 15-20 kilometers) and entered the mountains. The mountain roads were narrow, so the group spread out considerably. Song Haiyang remained with the Gao family's group, chatting with Gao Huilan about various topics. Gao Huilan glanced at the surrounding terrain and warned, "Captain Song, we've entered the mountains. Be careful, don't let the young master ambush us!" Song Haiyang waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's alright, it's a hundred or two hundred li away from Xujiadian. If they dare to ambush us here, they're asking for trouble." Just then, a series of gunshots rang out from ahead. Song Haiyang's expression froze; the gunshots immediately told him they had encountered an ambush.

Bai Lang had fought alongside Yang Jiefang and later, when Yang Jiefang explained guerrilla warfare, he considered it a treasure trove. He had been studying it diligently and felt he had gained considerable insight, eager to find an opportunity to demonstrate his skills. During this joint encirclement operation of three counties, Yang Jiefang assigned him to monitor Haiyang County. Naturally, he wouldn't simply wait passively for the enemy to attack; he had already scouted the terrain along the route. His first ambush was chosen at a place called Lanmashi. They were all wearing camouflage uniforms and didn't need to disguise themselves; simply crouching in the grass made them difficult to spot. They hid on a hillside more than a hundred meters from the road. Bai Lang copied Yang Jiefang's tactics, first targeting the first hundred or so men in the front ranks. After several months of rigorous training, Bai Lang's men were vastly different from those under Yang Jiefang's command. The panicked, indiscriminate firing that often occurred during battle was gone. When Bai Lang gave the order to fire, everyone opened fire almost simultaneously. They were still in groups of three, with the group leader selecting the target, and all three firing at the same target to maximize accuracy.

At this moment, the officers and soldiers were completely unprepared. When they heard the gunshots, they were all stunned. It wasn't until someone was shot that they belatedly realized they had been ambushed, and then chaos ensued.

Bai Lang didn't linger in the fight, allowing his men to fire only three shots before ordering a retreat. This was their first battle, and regardless of the outcome, a successful withdrawal would be a victory. He had overestimated the quality of this security team; until their withdrawal, the lower-ranking security personnel failed to mount an effective counterattack. Many were looking around anxiously, searching for the enemy. When they first saw figures retreating up the mountain, they mistook them for a clump of weeds moving, but by the time they realized it was the enemy, it was too late.

By the time Song Haiyang and his garrison arrived at the ambush site from the rear, Bai Lang and his group were already far away. A headcount revealed that despite the short firing time, the casualties were considerable, with over thirty men wounded. Two unlucky ones were fatally hit. Song Haiyang didn't care about the dead, but the agonizing cries of the wounded were unsettling, causing the entire column to halt. Without carefully examining their injuries, Song Haiyang immediately decided, "The wounded return on their own; the rest of you continue." Someone suggested leaving a few to care for the wounded, but Song Haiyang refused, saying, "Do you think you're some high-ranking official? Do you need a maid to serve you? Continue in the original marching order. Those in front, keep your eyes wide open! If we get ambushed again, it's your own fault!"

Under Song Haiyang's stern urging, the team continued forward. However, they hadn't gone far when gunfire erupted again without warning. This time, the gunfire came from behind; the rear guard had been ambushed. Bai Lang, as always, didn't linger in battle, fighting and retreating quickly, inflicting another twenty or thirty casualties on the security team. Having been ambushed twice in a row without even catching a glimpse of the enemy, Song Haiyang had lost his previous confidence. A sense of pessimism spread among the security team members, and many secretly considered giving up.

Gao Huilan approached him and said, "They attacked from the front the first time, from the back the second time, and they're not going to come after us from the middle the third time, are they?" This reminded Song Haiyang, and he immediately made adjustments, placing the Gao family's detachment at the very front of the column, while he led the guard team to the rear. He ordered all the detachments that if they encountered an ambush again, they must close in as quickly as possible, hold off the enemy, and prevent their escape. He also gave the Gao family's detachment a separate order: if their ranks were attacked from the middle, they must outflank the enemy as quickly as possible. After two attacks, he determined that the enemy's forces were not large, only a little over a hundred. With so few men, how could they be allowed to escape?

After abandoning the wounded once more, the group continued forward. However, their pace was incredibly slow; the security guards, like frightened birds, cautiously observed both sides of the road as they walked, fearing another ambush. They gradually fell far behind the Gao family's detachment. As luck would have it, they were attacked for the third time. This time, the attackers weren't lying in wait on either side of the road, but rushed out of the forest, unleashing a barrage of fire on the security guards walking along the road. They were indeed targeting the security team in the middle of the group. Upon hearing the gunfire, the security guards immediately dropped to the ground. After three rounds of shooting, under the orders of their captains, they rose and charged in the direction of the gunfire, attempting to catch up with the attackers.

This time, however, Bai Lang didn't choose a quick attack and retreat. Instead, he calmly waited in place. When the security guards got up and charged, he immediately opened fire. Although the Wolf Squad wasn't equipped with heavy firepower, they had two light machine guns that they had kept hidden until now. With just one round of fire, they took down more than ten men on the spot.

The security guards were dumbfounded. They'd been told to fire three shots and then retreat! Why weren't they retreating? How were they supposed to chase them? Soon it wouldn't be their turn to chase anymore. Bai Lang, instead of retreating, gave the order to attack. Using companies as combat units, the squads launched their attacks, providing alternating cover. They'd practiced this three-on-three attack tactic many times, and today it was being used in real combat. Although the security guards had a numerical advantage, their training and tactical command were abysmal. How could they withstand Bai Lang's attack? Soon, some at the front turned and ran, leading the others to follow suit.

As Bai Lang began his attack, the Gao family's security team and the guard team commanded by Song Haiyang immediately began their planned flanking maneuver around Bai Lang's flank and rear. However, Song Haiyang quickly realized something was wrong; the gunfire wasn't coming from the direction of their encirclement, but rather moving in the opposite direction. He couldn't afford to continue the encirclement at that moment and immediately turned and ran towards the source of the gunfire. But how could one run in a straight line in the mountains? The gunfire kept changing direction, and they chased further and further away. Everywhere they went, they encountered wounded security guards lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Upon inquiring, Song Haiyang was enraged. A mere hundred-odd bandits in camouflage uniforms were chasing three or four hundred security guards across the entire mountainside.

The security guards scattered as they fled for their lives. Bai Lang, worried that the group was becoming too disorganized, ordered them to abandon the pursuit, thus ending the battle.

Song Haiyang spent a great deal of effort to gather the scattered security guards. In the end, aside from the wounded, the four detachments only managed to gather a little over a hundred men; the rest had obviously taken the opportunity to escape. Of the eight hundred or so who set out from the county town, only half remained in such a short time. And they hadn't even scratched a hair on the enemy's head. If the young leader's thousand men had this fighting power, how could they possibly wipe out these bandits? Song Haiyang's face was long and gloomy; he had lost all confidence in this bandit suppression campaign and was unsure whether to advance or retreat. Seeing that it was getting dark, Song Haiyang decided to find a village nearby to stay in, send a trusted confidant back to the city to report, and await further instructions.

That night, Bai Lang initially planned a night raid, but considering that Gao Huilan and the Gao family's guards were also in the village, he abandoned the idea to avoid accidental injuries. This allowed both sides to get a good night's rest.

The next day, Song Haiyang did not order any action but stayed in the village to wait. Around noon, the messenger returned from the city with instructions from the county seat. The instructions were just one sentence: the bandit suppression was not yet over; how could they turn back halfway? This put Song Haiyang in a dilemma. Continuing the advance would be tantamount to suicide, but retreating would be impossible to explain. Just as he was struggling with this, Gao Qiang approached him and said, "Captain, I have an idea, but I don't know if it's feasible?" Song Haiyang immediately said, "What do you mean, feasible or not? Tell me!" Gao Qiang said, "If we proceed according to the original plan, we're afraid we'll encounter ambushes along the way. Why don't we split our forces into two groups? One group will proceed as planned to attract the bandits' attention; the other will detour north to Facheng to join forces with the army in Laiyang County." Song Haiyang praised, "That's a good idea, let's do it that way."

This suicidal mission naturally couldn't be undertaken by the garrison or the Gao family's branch, so it fell to the remaining hundred-odd security guards. Therefore, Song Haiyang ordered them to continue marching along the original route. With only a hundred-odd guards, Bai Lang showed no mercy and wiped them all out. Neither the garrison nor the Gao family's security force suffered losses and remained intact. The Gao family's security force led the way, with the garrison bringing up the rear. They marched east and west, stopping and starting, without encountering any more ambushes. In the afternoon, Gao Qiang approached Song Haiyang again, saying, "We'll be at the Gao family's place soon. Brothers, you've worked so hard, why don't we rest there first? It's on the way anyway." Song Haiyang was overjoyed, but said, "How could I? We're here to suppress bandits." Gao Qiang said, "Brothers risked their lives to suppress bandits; the Gao family should show them hospitality and reward them properly." Song Haiyang laughed and agreed.

The Gao family was extremely hospitable, immediately slaughtering chickens and sheep, preparing the feast as if it were a wedding. After working for half a day, they finally set out tables of food and drink. The Gao family's security team was in charge of guarding the area that night, and the guards, having let their guard down, ate and drank to their hearts' content, eventually collapsing to sleep. The next day, they were all bound like dumplings, and their joy was gone. When Song Haiyang sobered up, he cursed loudly, "Your Gao family dared to collude with bandits! Did you even consider the consequences?" Gao Huilan walked up to him and whispered, "The young leader of Qinglong Village is my man. You went to hunt him down; did you even consider the consequences?" Song Haiyang was dumbfounded.