The Flames of Resistance Against Japan in Jiangnan

The villagers absolutely refused to accept the money for the grain. Furthermore, as Li Youcai left, the elders seemed to subtly tell him that they didn't want him to tell anyone the grain was a gift from them. As for the other Red Army and White Army soldiers, they were just ordinary people and couldn't concern themselves with them.

At a villager's house, Li Youcai bought three old hens, and the old man barely accepted one silver dollar for them. As Li Youcai was leaving, the old man, also somewhat worried, told him not to tell anyone that the chickens were bought from his house.

This shows that the Red Army soldiers were good people in the eyes of these people. But that's how the world is; these ordinary people were also very afraid of the serious crime of harboring or aiding the enemy.

Holding the grain that the villagers had managed to scrape together, Li Youcai felt a deep unease as he walked through the village. In those days, sometimes doing a good deed could lead to the extermination of one's entire family and even death. No wonder, with these white dogs running rampant in the countryside, not only were the scattered Red Army soldiers suffering, but these ordinary people were also being afflicted.

Feeling heavy-hearted, Li Youcai quickly suppressed his gloom as he stepped into the courtyard. Adopting a warmer expression, he personally prepared a hearty meal for the equally hungry Red Army soldiers, a meal they hadn't had in a long time. He also fed a bowl of chicken soup to the young soldier who was still unconscious and changed his clothes for him.

After the young soldier drank a bowl of chicken soup, his breathing became much calmer, and Xu Wenqing and the others breathed a sigh of relief. They believed that as long as he got a good night's rest, he would have the strength to stand up tomorrow.

Xu Wenqing was relieved that none of the five Red Army soldiers needed assistance or stretcher transport at the moment. Otherwise, if even these few people needed assistance and stretchers, their subsequent covert movements would be extremely inconvenient. Moreover, in the absence of medicine, any serious injury could easily lead to death due to lack of timely treatment.

Of the five rescued prisoners, apart from the young soldier whose unit was only known at the moment, the other four, in order of age, were: Zhang Shicheng, a veteran of the 19th Division, a native of southern Hunan, who was 28 years old this year; and Zhang Shicheng, a platoon-level officer in his unit before losing contact with it.

The other three soldiers all belonged to the 20th Division, and they were all soldiers of the 60th Regiment. The oldest of them, Zhao Ergou, was 25 years old and had served as a squad leader before being scattered.

The other two, 21-year-old Hu Mugua and 19-year-old Huang Ping, were both veterans who had been in the army for almost two years. They had both been separated from their main force during battle and lost contact with the enemy. They were captured by these white dogs while searching for their unit.

Xu Wenqing was undoubtedly pleased to learn that among the five people rescued was a platoon-level officer.

After resting for a while, Xu Wenqing handed over the five Red Army soldiers he had rescued to the guerrillas for their care, and then led his special agent platoon toward their destination under the guidance of Li Youcai.

Before dawn, they arrived at the edge of the village. Xu Wenqing led his team to rest in seclusion outside the village, while sending Li Youcai into the village to scout.

Tankou Village is a large village with over a hundred households, surrounded by mountains. The houses in the village are arranged along a small river at the foot of the southern mountain, like a snake lying at the foot of the mountain. Li Youcai's aunt's house is in the far northwest corner, right next to the mountain, and there are no other houses there.

The streets were chaotic, with people busy packing up their belongings. Groups of naked children ran around, shouting and making a racket, creating a cacophony of noise.

Li Youcai, carrying a bundle of firewood, followed behind Zhang Hongmei, swaying as he walked. Afraid of being recognized as a stranger, he kept his head down, ignoring the few strands of hair that fell across his face and obstructing his vision. Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves and bells startled him, and he turned around to look.

A large cart, covered with a straw canopy and draped with colorful tassels, pulled by two large mules, rushed like a whirlwind towards an old man. The old man was startled and hurriedly dodged to the side, falling to the ground along with the firewood.

The mule, startled, came to a sudden stop, the cart lurching violently. A chorus of screams erupted from the cart, and a man, tightly bound by ropes, fell from the cart. Then, two militiamen, their hats askew and carrying guns, jumped down. One of them shoved the old man in the waist with the butt of his gun, cursing:

"You old fool, are you blind...?"

He was about to hit him again when he saw people rushing over, so he cursed and grabbed the person who had fallen to the ground and got back into his car.

Then, with a crack of the whip, the wheels rolled on, heading east. Finally, the cart slowed down beside a high wall. The driver shouted, whipped the cart again, and the strong mule arched its back, giving a powerful thrust forward. The cart swayed and entered the semi-circular archway of the wall, stopping at the main gate with a long white sign in black characters that read "Huangshan Township Government." Four militiamen jumped off the cart and led the bound man through the imposing vermilion gate.

A man appeared at the entrance to the main hall of the deep mansion. His fat head was round and bald, with barely visible eyebrows, making him look like a fleshy egg. His black silk jacket shimmered with a bluish light, which contrasted with the oily sheen on his face.

The militia member carrying a pistol rushed up the steps, smiling respectfully, and said:

"Mayor Yan, are you in good health?"

"Haha, Platoon Leader Zhu is here! Well done! Well done!"

Yan Shaoshan grinned, revealing his yellow teeth, and then entered the house with Platoon Leader Yan from the security regiment. They drank tea and began to discuss business...

The Yan family, head of Huangshan Township, had been wealthy for generations. However, they had never prospered as much as they had since Yan Shaoshan inherited the family business. Yan Shaoshan succeeded his father as township head, and before the new year, his son became a battalion commander in the county's security regiment. Now, he was practically a local tyrant. He ran rampant in the township, capable of any evil deed. If a family's daughter was pretty or they married a woman with some charm, they had to guard against the Yan family's house like they would guard against a lynx attacking a chick.

After the Southern Anhui Uprising, it was said that people were being killed and robbed regardless of wealth. Yan Shaoshan was terrified; wasn't this the end for him? Soon after, the county government sent someone with a message, ordering him to organize a security force. He was overjoyed and became even more imposing than before. In his own words, he was born lucky and deserved to enjoy his fortune; a leopard can't change its spots.

The elderly woman on the mountain road, startled by the blow to the waist, collapsed by the roadside, unable to move. Li Youcai rushed over and helped her up, staring intently at the large truck heading south, thinking:

"Who are these people who are tied up? It seems the poor in the White Area have no way to survive..."

He watched as a cloud of dust rose behind the truck, and in the dust was a girl picking up this and touching that, always following behind the truck.

Zhang Hongmei grabbed Li Youcai's hand and said urgently:

"She is an orchid!"