The sky was filled with the buzzing roar of engines. Thirty-two C-47 transport aircraft, escorted by a squadron of F6F Hellcat fighter jets, flew smoothly at a speed of 260 kilometers per hour and an altitude of 6,000 meters.
In a passenger plane converted from a C-47 transport aircraft, Gao Hongming, dressed in military uniform, was sitting on his seat, quietly looking at the clouds passing by outside the window.
This modified C-47 belonged to Gao Hongming's special plane. Originally, Gao Hongming just asked people from the Flying Corps to make a simple modification.
Unexpectedly, the people below did not know what they were thinking. After the modification was completed, Gao Hongming almost didn't recognize it.
Just like this office, the original simple aluminum interior walls are covered with solid wood paneling, which is also engraved with patterns and decorations bearing the blue sky and white sun party emblem.
Dark red velvet curtains are hung on the four portholes. On the left side of the cabin is a small desk, and on the right side is a row of leather sofas placed against the wall. The overall design looks very coordinated and does not make people feel small.
Or a feeling of crowding.
Faced with such a luxurious decoration, Gao Hongming wanted to change it back, but when he thought that even if he changed it back, he would not be able to get back the money, he had no choice but to give up.
After an unknown amount of time, he sighed softly and said softly to the person sitting in front of him: "Are you tired?"
The person sitting in front of Gao Hongming was none other than his second wife Xie Wenqian. She smiled brightly: "Of course I'm not tired anymore. This plane has been modified very well. Not only does it make no noise, it also has less vibrations than ordinary transport planes."
A lot.
But this time I insist on following you, are you very dissatisfied?"
"Of course not!" Looking at Xie Wenqian who was smiling brightly, Gao Hongming quickly shook his head without thinking, "It's too late for me to be happy that I can accompany you here. How could you be dissatisfied? You are overthinking."
Seeing Gao Hongming's decisive promise, Xie Wenqian couldn't help but laugh out loud, stood up and sat next to Gao Hongming, nestled her bright head on his shoulder and said softly:
"Actually, I insisted on coming with you this time. First of all, you went to Guadalcanal for several months, and just a few days after you came back, you had to go to Myanmar again.
And we don’t know how long it will take to go back, so we just wanted to spend more time with you, so we followed here, Hong Ming, you won’t be angry with me, right?”
As a faint scent of orchid penetrated his nostrils, Gao Hongming lowered his head and looked at his beloved wife's fair and tender oval face. His heart couldn't help but tremble. He couldn't help but hug her slender waist and laughed.
"How could it be? I don't know how happy I am to have you by my side. As the saying goes, after three years in the army, a sow competes with Diao Chan. You don't know how hard it has been for me to hold back these past few months."
"Bah!" Xie Wenqian's pretty face was dizzy, and her usually bright eyes were almost dripping with water at this moment.
Although she and Gao Hongming have been married for a long time, the concept of women these days is much more conservative than that of later generations, and she still can't help but feel shy when her husband teases her.
Looking at the shy look on Xiafei's cheeks, Gao Hongming couldn't help but stood up, locked the door of the lounge, then hugged Xie Wenqian and said seriously: "Wen Qian, I want to tell you something today.
You have to listen carefully to the idiom story of Thousand Miles a Day..."
An hour later, when the plane landed at Sunshine Airport, Gao Hongming, who had arranged his military uniform with the help of Xie Wenqian, stepped off the plane.
But when he just got off the gangway, he couldn't help being surprised when he saw the row of generals standing there. Then he saw Luo Zhuoying striding towards him, with two general stars embedded on his shoulders.
She stretched out her hand to him from afar.
"Hahaha... You must be Gao Hongming, the air commander sent by the Chairman of the Standing Committee. Brother, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"
Seeing Luo Zhuoying's enthusiasm, Gao Hongming saluted first and then took his outstretched right hand.
Facing the enthusiasm of Luo Zhuoying and other national army generals, Gao Hongming couldn't help but said: "Sir Luo, Chief Du, how can the Ministry of Staff be so virtuous and talented? It's really frightening for the Ministry of Staff to welcome you two in person!"
"Hey...Brother Hong Ming, you can bear it. With your arrival, the more than 100,000 soldiers of the expeditionary force will feel confident!" Du Yuming also took a step forward, and his usually serious face showed a rare smile today.
After greeting the generals of the national army, another major general came forward and saluted: "Hello, sir, I didn't expect you to be here too!"
Gao Hongming took a closer look, laughed, and stepped forward to give him a bear hug: "Jimmy, not only did you not expect it, but I didn't expect it either.
I originally thought that I would be able to rest for at least a few months just after returning from the Pacific, but I didn't expect that a telegram from the Military Commission would send me here."
It has been almost half a year since Doolittle came to China. After Gao Hongming got acquainted with him, he changed his address to him by his first name.
"Sir, let me introduce to you. This is the commander of the Volunteer Air Force to aid China, Brigadier General Chennault."
"Hello, sir!" Chennault stepped forward and saluted with a military salute.
"Hello, Claire, nice to meet you!" Although Gao Hongming had never met Chennault, this did not prevent him from having a good impression of him.
Chennault couldn't help but wonder. According to American customs, this was already a title between friends, or did Gao Hongming not understand this? But today was the first time they met.
But now was not the time to think about this. Chennault suppressed his confusion in his heart, and then took a few steps back, because he knew that there was another person who had not been introduced, and he had a hunch that the meeting between these two people might not be pleasant.
"This is the Chief of Staff of the Chinese Theater, Lieutenant General Stilwell."
Sure enough, as soon as Doolittle finished his introduction, before Gao Hongming took the initiative to salute him, Stilwell took two steps forward and said bluntly: "I know you, General Gao Hongming."
Before Gao Hongming could speak, he added: "It seems that I still underestimated Chairman Chiang's reaction. I didn't expect that he would actually send you here.
Of course, I know that the Air Force led by Jimmy is your unit, and I also know the purpose of the Chairman who is far away in Chongqing sending you here, but I have to remind you that there is a big difference between fighting abroad and fighting at home.
No matter the combat environment, material supplies, or the difficulty of combat, they are not comparable to those in China. I still hope that you can calm down and adapt for a period of time before trying to command the troops. This is also the advice given to you by a veteran.
"
"What a fool!"
As soon as Stilwell's old-fashioned words, which even sounded like a warning, came out, they immediately ignited a small flame in Gao Hongming's heart.
On the side, Luo Zhuoying, Du Yuming, Sun Liren and other generals were surprised and all looked at Gao Hongming.