Staff officer Liu Ming carefully wrote a note for Yang Ling, stamped it with a red stamp, and handed it to Yang Ling's hand. Yang Ling hurriedly folded it and put it in his pocket.
"Brother Yang, it's not too late to regret now. I will have to report to the Third Theater Command in a few days. If you come to me again, there is nothing I can do."
Staff officer Liu Ming was still full of doubts about Yang Ling's insistence on going to the 74th Army. Instead of leaving the elite German Arms Division, he had to go to a newly established unit. He really couldn't understand what Yang Ling was thinking.
Naturally, Yang Ling would not change it again. In order to express his gratitude to Liu Ming, he invited him to have a drink and reminisce about the past.
Liu Ming joked and said, "I still have a lot of things to do here. Those who drink will be recorded in the account first. When I finish working for a while, you will be drunk."
"Then I won't do it." Yang Ling also laughed.
Yang Ling and Liu Ming both escaped from death together in Shanghai. Although they are in different units now, their love will not change due to time and space.
After the two of them teased each other, Liu Ming put away his smile: "This little devil is determined to kill me. I'm afraid there will be wars in the future. Soldiers on the battlefield are dangerous. Now you are also a dignified battalion commander."
Come on, don't always rush to the front when fighting, but take more care."
"Take care, too." Liu Ming's words were considered a kind reminder, and Yang Ling naturally kept them in mind.
Liu Ming was responsible for containing the defeated troops in Chuzhou. After Yang Ling finished his work, he naturally didn't want to disturb him any more and left quickly.
"Remember you owe me a drink." Liu Ming stood at the door and reminded loudly.
Yang Ling also smiled and replied: "I'll treat you to some authentic Shandong Shao Daozi then."
“It’s a deal!”
The two waved goodbye, but little did they know that in these war-torn times, once they separated, they never knew when they would see each other again.
Yang Ling walked through the streets crowded with refugees and defeated soldiers, and soon returned to the large courtyard where they settled.
With Liu Ming's approval letter, Yang Ling and the others also had a place to go. However, the 74th Army had already withdrawn to Bengbu, Anhui Province in the north to gather and contain them. He had to quickly lead his brothers to catch up. If he missed the time, who knew where they would withdraw.
went.
Moreover, Chuzhou City is too close to Nanjing. With the speed of the Japanese attack, they can attack here in just a few days, so this is not a place to stay for a long time.
After Yang Ling returned to the yard, he immediately called several company commanders over for a short meeting and explained where they were going.
"Battal Commander, I will go wherever you say. I have no objection." Liu Yidao was a staunch supporter of Yang Ling. As soon as Yang Ling finished speaking, he expressed his position.
Wang Huzi hesitated for a long time and said: "Everywhere I go, I fight against Japanese invaders, that's what I call it."
Lao Yanqiang and the others also spoke one after another. In this chaotic situation, they didn't know where to go. Now that Yang Ling pointed out a clear way for them, they didn't refuse.
"Okay, since everyone agrees, I won't say anything more. Again, I, Yang Ling, have something to eat, and you will definitely have something to eat. If you choose to follow me, Yang Ling, you trust me. I will definitely
I won’t treat you badly.”
Yang Ling's words were so true that Lao Yanqiang and the others felt at ease. They were lucky to follow such a commander.
Although he decided to go north to Bengbu to chase the 74th Army, in these chaotic years, no one knew what he would encounter on the way, so Yang Ling had to make complete preparations.
"Qin Shou, how much money do we have?" Yang Ling turned his attention to Qin Shou, who was in charge of the small treasury of the guerrilla camp.
Qin Shou replied with pain: "When we broke out, we only brought out 405 silver dollars, and the rest were all lost in Nanjing."
During the brutal breakout battle in Xiaguan where life was at risk, Qin Shou was still thinking about silver coins and brought so many out. Yang Ling secretly sighed that it was really hard for him.
"I'll give you a task. You go to the street and keep one hundred silver dollars as a spare. The rest are replaced with bacon, sugar, steamed buns and rice. Buy me everything you can eat. In addition, buy some medicines.
And gauze, just in case you need it."
"Battal Commander, let's just buy some and it's enough to eat. Isn't it a waste to buy so much?" Qin Shou was puzzled.
"We are heading north to Bengbu. We don't know what the situation will be like on the way. We can make more preparations now so that we don't go hungry on the way."
Yang Ling understands that people are like rice and steel. If you leave Chuzhou, there will be no place to supply supplies. The countryside in these days is not rich, and the two hundred brothers cannot be careless in eating.
Qin Shou got Yang Ling's order and went shopping. Although a large number of refugees and defeated soldiers poured into Chuzhou, and the war was approaching, there were many vendors. In addition to the prices being several times more expensive than usual, let alone food,
Ammunition can be purchased, and as much as you need is available.
Lao Yanqiang was sent by Yang Ling to Chuzhou Station to inquire about the military train. If he could take a bus to Bengbu, it would be much better than walking.
Following Yang Ling's order, more than two hundred brothers got busy, packing their things and preparing to go north to Bengbu to report to the new army.
Yang Ling and others packed their things and prepared to go to the 74th Army. The battalion commander Zhao Wenbin who broke out with them also came to say goodbye to Yang Ling. He also wanted to return to his 122nd Division of the Northeast Army.
Half of Zhao Wenbin's battalion was wiped out when they were in Jiangyin, and the other half was wiped out when they were in Nanjing. Now he has become a bare commander. Although he didn't show it on his face, Yang Ling knew that he felt bad.
"You really don't want to go with us?" Zhao Wenbin and his brothers fought bloody battles on the battlefield. They did not lack courage, but the superior officers were too incompetent, causing them heavy losses. Yang Ling sympathized with him and wanted to stay.
But Zhao Wenbin stubbornly shook his head: "The Northeastern Army is my roots, and I still hope to fight back to my hometown with my brothers."
Seeing what Zhao Wenbin said, Yang Ling also sighed in his heart. He really wanted to fight back to the Northeast. He didn't know what year or month it would be.
Yang Ling took out more than ten silver coins from his pocket and stuffed them into Zhao Wenbin's hand: "Take them with you to buy food on the way."
Zhao Wenbin wanted to refuse, but thinking that he was now penniless, he swallowed his refusal again: "Thank you very much. I will send it to you when the salary is paid."
"Consider me a brother and just take it with peace of mind. Don't make trouble by saying whether to send it or not."
A warm current surged through Zhao Wenbin's heart, "I have made friends with you as a brother. Let me know if you need help in the future. I, Zhao Wenbin, will never be vague."
"Okay, I've written this down."
Zhao Wenbin said goodbye to Yang Ling and left. Looking at Zhao Wenbin's back getting further and further away, Yang Ling took a deep breath. They had to embark on a new journey.
Yang Ling and the others were lucky enough to catch a train transporting wounded soldiers to the north. After traveling all the way, they arrived in the cold and windy Bengbu in late December.