Newborn 1927

Gao Huilan sent word back to Qinglong Village, partly to reassure them and partly to curry favor with Yang Jiefang. Yang Jiefang's original plan was for Gao Huilan to cooperate with Bai Lang to hold off the bandit-suppression forces in Haiyang County, ideally defeating them. Who would have thought the two of them would wipe out the garrison? The situation had developed beyond expectations, and he couldn't help but lower his head in thought, muttering to himself, "The Gao family has always kept their distance from Qinglong Village, but this time they're completely opposed to the government. What are they planning? Gao Yao and his son are still in the county town. Could this girl be plotting against the county town?"

Black Widow said, "Let's fight then, it's not like we can't. Hmm, judging by the time, they've probably already entered the city." It seemed they genuinely intended to do so. Yang Jiefang said, "With our strength and the current situation, let alone one county, taking down three surrounding counties wouldn't be difficult. But what would we do here? With so few men, it's hard enough to defend one county, let alone three. If we take down the smaller ones, we'll attract the larger ones, leading to endless encirclement and counter-encirclement. It's better to keep the smaller ones and develop covertly." Black Widow said, "But the brothers don't think that way. They all want to enter the city and become officials as soon as possible. Otherwise, why would everyone follow you?" This was precisely Yang Jiefang's concern. When the imperial robes are bestowed upon you, you have no choice but to do it. The problem is, taking a county is easy, but governing it is not. Right now, he has no one capable of governing the area.

In any case, the enemy forces in Haiyang County were temporarily out of the question, and the security regiment in Qixia County was also no problem. Now, only the security regiment in Laiyang County remained unaccounted for. As Yang Jiefang was pondering this, someone outside reported that Yan Donglai's messenger had arrived. Yang Jiefang immediately ordered someone to bring the messenger in. The messenger was a special forces soldier, who presented Yan Donglai's letter with both hands. The letter was brief; the messenger would need to provide a verbal report of the details.

Rewind to two days earlier, the Laiyang County Security Regiment, led by Wu Miao, was heading south. Their original plan was to reach Facheng within a day to join forces with the Haiyang County army, and then march north together to attack Xujiadian. Perhaps fearing being defeated piecemeal by Qinglongzhai, they devised this strategy of first meeting up and then attacking.

The security guards were used to being sluggish, so the marching speed was slow. They had set off from the county town in the morning, and after dragging their feet for half a day, they had only covered about twenty li (approximately 10 kilometers). After crossing the Qinglong River and reaching Longwangzhuang, they didn't want to go any further. They all complained of being tired and hungry, wanting to rest and have a good meal before continuing. Since Zhao Family Village had taken out money to reward the security guards and treated them to a meal, shouldn't other places follow suit? So, some people started clamoring for Longwangzhuang to treat the troops. Actually, not everyone was so irresponsible; as long as a few people took the lead and the others didn't object, it became the consensus.

Knowing he needed manpower, Wu Miao had no choice but to appease these scoundrels first. So, in his capacity as deputy county magistrate, he ordered the local wealthy households and gentry to contribute money to feed the troops. In those days, soldiers were more despicable than bandits, let alone a group of security guards who only knew how to bully ordinary people. How could the people of Longwang Village dare refuse? But a small village like Longwang Village simply couldn't afford to accommodate over a thousand bandits. Wu Miao had no choice but to divide the security force into three groups, organized by battalion, and have them eat at three different locations. It was easy for them to scatter, but difficult to regroup them. By the time they had eaten and drunk their fill, the sun had already set, making it impossible to get them to continue their journey. Wu Miao then issued a strict order: everyone should rest well tonight, assemble early tomorrow morning, and arrive in Facheng before noon. He figured the Haiyang County army wouldn't arrive in Facheng so quickly. Although Facheng was within Haiyang County, it was closer to Laiyang County.

Wu Miao and his battalion were stationed in Longwangzhuang. The men were scattered among various farmers' homes, and he naturally chose the wealthiest one. He went to bed early that night and, upon waking the next morning, ordered the troops to assemble. He also sent messengers to the second and third battalions to relay the order, urging them to return to their posts quickly. The troops assembled at a snail's pace, taking considerable effort to finally gather the troops. Wu Miao looked around, sensing something was amiss, and asked, "First Battalion Commander, are all the men here?" He then discovered that all three companies were assembled, but the First Battalion Commander was nowhere to be seen. The First Battalion Commander was his trusted confidant, and he couldn't help but scold, "That rascal, sleeping in again? Go and call him!"

A regimental member immediately went to the battalion commander's quarters to shout, and quickly returned, breathless, saying, "Something's happened! Something terrible has happened! The battalion commander has been murdered!" Everyone was shocked and rushed to the battalion commander's quarters. Sure enough, the battalion commander and several of his close regimental members were found murdered in their bed. There were no signs of a struggle; they had all been killed in their sleep with a single slit in their throats. Nothing was missing; the weapons and other belongings were still there. The killer's motive was simple: to kill. Wu Miao shouted, "Where are the sentries? Who arranged the sentries last night?" Zhao Changming replied, "County Chief Wu, the battalion commander personally arranged the sentries, and the people he used were all his trusted confidants." Soon, someone else came to report that the body of a sentry had been found, also with his throat slit, and the body thrown in an inconspicuous corner.

Zhao Changming spoke up again, "I heard that last year, when Little Boss raided Da Kuang Market, the sentries on the mountain were also killed in the same way." Soon, someone echoed, adding, "I heard that too. Could it be that Little Boss isn't dead and has come back to kill us again?" Everyone was terrified, secretly relieved that Little Boss had only killed the battalion commander's room. If he had gone on a killing spree last night, who could have stopped him? Wu Miao forced himself to remain calm and said, "Little Boss is dead. This must be someone imitating his methods to scare us. If he were truly capable, why would he only kill the battalion commander's room?" Although the others didn't agree with his explanation, no one openly refuted him.

With one battalion commander dead, a replacement naturally needed to be appointed. Wu Miao immediately appointed him: "Company Commander Zhao Changming, from now on, you are the battalion commander of the first battalion and concurrently the company commander of the first company. Go to the village and find some coffins to collect the remains of our fallen brothers. After we wipe out Qinglong Village, we'll send them back to their hometowns for burial." Zhao Changming quickly agreed and led his men to the village to find coffins.

Soon, news came from the Second and Third Battalions that their commanders had been murdered the previous night, their throats slit in the same manner as the First Battalion Commander. The men were no longer calm, and couldn't help but touch their own necks. Good heavens, it wasn't just one battalion commander they'd killed; they'd come specifically to kill battalion commanders. Wu Miao was also terrified, but as the leader, he feigned composure and reappointed the commanders of the Second and Third Battalions. This time, the two successors didn't agree as readily as Zhao Changming, but they dared not openly disobey orders and had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Although men had died, what war doesn't end in death? After collecting the bodies, the column continued its journey towards Fa City. Zhao Changming led the First Battalion at the front, Wu Miao and the Second Battalion in the middle, with the Third Battalion bringing up the rear. The column's pace remained slow, everyone listless and lacking the vibrancy of yesterday. A shadow fell over Wu Miao's heart. Could he win a war with such an army? Lost in thought, a gunshot rang out suddenly, almost within reach, startling him so much that he immediately covered his head and lay prone on the ground. But only one shot rang out, and after a long while, no second shot was fired. Confirming it wasn't an ambush, Wu Miao got up and shouted, "Did some bastard's gun accidentally discharge?"

But then someone shouted, "The battalion commander is dead! The battalion commander has been shot dead!" Wu Miao turned around and saw, to his horror, the newly appointed second battalion commander had been shot in the head, his brains splattered everywhere, utterly dead. Wu Miao realized what was happening and yelled, "There are sharpshooters lying in ambush all around! Find him! Find him!" Fearing he would be the next target, he quickly hid in the crowd. The others searched the area but found no trace of him. However, after this search, they concluded that the sharpshooters lying in ambush must have already left.

Wu Miao breathed a sigh of relief and cursed, "Get me the battalion commander! How could he lead the way like that? He didn't even notice the ambush! He's utterly incompetent! I'm removing him..." He suddenly stopped, realizing the high mortality rate among battalion commanders; another one had died, and they needed to find a replacement. He turned to the remaining company and platoon leaders and asked, "Who among you is willing to be the battalion commander?" His eyes darted to the remaining company and platoon leaders, but they all shrank back; not a single one wanted to be the battalion commander. They finally understood: this young master was only good at appointing battalion commanders; whoever became battalion commander was doomed. Looking at their reactions, Wu Miao sighed helplessly.

At this moment, Zhao Changming ran up to Wu Miao, followed by Zhao Changgen and a group of his confidants. Zhao Changming saluted and loudly announced, "Report! Company Commander Zhao Changming reporting for duty, please give instructions, Commander Wu!" His formality made Wu Miao a little uncomfortable, but he quickly recovered and said, "What, Company Commander? Aren't you the Battalion Commander?" Zhao Changming replied, "I heard I was just relieved of my battalion command, so I'm still a company commander." Wu Miao angrily said, "Who's talking nonsense? You are the Battalion Commander and Company Commander of the First Company, appointed by me. Who dares to say you've been relieved?" Zhao Changming responded, "Thank you for your guidance, Commander Wu! Please give instructions, Commander Wu!"

Wu Miao then added, "Your battalion was leading the way and failed to spot the gunmen hiding nearby. As the battalion commander, you are largely to blame. I'll keep that in mind for now. You need to perform well from now on. If you do well, it will be forgiven; if you make another mistake, all the old and new grievances will be settled together." Zhao Changming loudly agreed.

Wu Miao then turned around and said, "Now that the Second Battalion Commander has been shot dead, is there really no one among you who wants to take over as battalion commander?" All the company and platoon leaders of the Second Battalion shook their heads. Zhao Changgen sneered, "We risk our lives, isn't it all for promotion and wealth? You don't even want to be battalion commander? Are you all crazy?" Someone immediately retorted, "If you're so capable, you do it!" This battalion commandership is only temporary. After this battle, everyone goes home. Who cares about a lousy battalion commander like you? Survival is the priority. Zhao Changgen said, "I'd like to do it, but the regimental commander has to agree, right?"

Wu Miao was somewhat helpless. Among these thousand-plus men, Zhao Changming's team was the most elite. In the current situation, they could only rely on them to step up and play a role. So, Wu Miao said, "Your name is Zhao Changgen, right? I remember you. Are you really willing to be the battalion commander of the Second Battalion?" Zhao Changgen immediately agreed, "I am willing. Thank you for your guidance, Commander Wu!" The company and platoon leaders of the Second Battalion breathed a sigh of relief. Why not have someone help them take the fall? Wu Miao appointed Zhao Changgen as the battalion commander of the Second Battalion on the spot. Zhao Changgen then smiled and said, "Commander, could you also assign a few of my brothers to the Second Battalion?" This was only fair, and Wu Miao agreed on the spot. So, Zhao Changgen and a small squad were assigned to the Second Battalion. The Second Battalion now had a battalion commander, but it was still short of a company commander. Wu Miao then appointed Zhao Changgen as the company commander of the Fourth Company.

This was the middle of nowhere, and since the deceased wasn't one of Wu Miao's trusted men, no coffins were found for burial; a hasty grave was dug and the body buried. The column continued on, maintaining the same marching order. The difference was that Zhao Changming led the first company along the main road, while the second and third companies spread out to the sides to avoid ambushes. This made things much safer, but significantly slowed their pace. None of them had eaten breakfast before setting out, and after marching for over ten miles, everyone was complaining of exhaustion and hunger. Wu Miao then ordered them to stop and rest, to eat some of the dry rations they had brought. Being in the middle of nowhere, they had no choice but to make do.

No sooner had everyone sat down to eat their rations than a burst of gunfire rang out. The Third Battalion, at the rear of the column, had been attacked. The security personnel looked in the direction of the sound and saw the attackers. They were dressed in brightly colored clothes, their faces painted in vibrant hues, blending seamlessly into the surrounding trees and bushes, making them difficult to spot! Fortunately, they numbered only thirty or forty men.

Without needing orders, the security guards immediately raised their guns and returned fire. But as soon as they opened fire, the attackers chose to retreat. The battalion commander immediately ordered a pursuit; the enemy numbered only thirty or forty, so there was no need for the entire battalion to attack, only a company was deployed.

This was the Ninth Company, the least popular company. They chased after them, fighting as they went, chasing for a long distance while maintaining a certain distance. They couldn't catch up or hit them, and instead, they lost more than a dozen brothers. The Ninth Company commander wanted to give up, but just as they were about to turn back, the group turned around and attacked again. The Ninth Company commander roared, "Chase them! We must catch these bastards!"

The attack on the Third Battalion naturally alerted the First and Second Battalions, as well as Wu Miao's men. Wu Miao ordered the First and Second Battalions to remain in place while he personally went to the Third Battalion to assess the situation. They heard intermittent gunfire in the distance and guessed that the Ninth Company must have engaged the enemy. Therefore, Wu Miao ordered, "Third Battalion Commander, your entire Third Battalion is to immediately move out and encircle them from both sides. We must wipe out this band of bandits! Don't let a single one escape." Although the enemy only numbered a few dozen, eliminating them would be a victory. He desperately needed a victory. With the battalion commander's order, the Third Battalion Commander had no choice but to agree, personally leading the Seventh Company and the Eighth Company in a flanking maneuver towards the source of the gunfire.

Wu Miao returned to the Second Battalion's rest area, anxiously waiting and hoping for a victory. The gunfire was intermittent, gradually fading into the distance until it disappeared completely. Not knowing what the situation was ahead, Wu Miao paced back and forth nervously. Just as he was growing impatient, squads of security personnel finally emerged. Wu Miao immediately went forward, grabbing one of them and asking, "How was it? How many were killed?" The man replied, "Forty or fifty dead or wounded. The battalion commander was killed, and we dared not pursue any further." Wu Miao was stunned, taking a long time to react before saying, "You didn't catch them?" The man replied, "No, not a single one. These guys are incredibly fast runners, and their marksmanship is impeccable. Every shot hits like a bullet, killing or wounding forty or fifty of our men. We didn't even manage to scratch them. Commander, this young leader is no ordinary person; we can't win. Let's go back!"