The weather in Bengbu is getting colder and colder. The biting cold wind blows all day long. The pervasive cold air makes the sentry on guard miserable and curses in his heart.
Although Yang Ling took over as the acting deputy commander, he did not immediately get into work as Major Battalion Commander Lu Xing expected.
Instead, he took the orderly Hu Zi to wander around various companies all day long, chatting with the soldiers all over the world.
"Captain Lu, what do you think Deputy Commander Yang thinks? Our regiment is already doing this, and he doesn't care about it, so he just wanders around all day long."
Several newly appointed captains at the regiment headquarters complained privately about Yang Ling's idleness.
Although these regiment subordinates are only one word different from Yang Ling's regimental deputy, their rights are completely different. Yang Ling is the deputy commander who can take over the command when the regiment leader is absent, while these regiment affiliates are responsible for the regiment headquarters.
of.
Although Yang Ling took office as the deputy commander, he wandered around various companies outside all day long, leaving all matters such as sheltering stragglers and distributing weapons, ammunition and food to them, which made the regiment subordinates feel that Yang Ling, the deputy commander, was not competent at all.
There are people like this who are deputy leaders.
The first battalion commander Lu Xing also didn’t understand Yang Ling’s intention. Their 301st regiment fought fiercely during the breakout from Nanjing. Only one out of ten veterans could survive the breakout to Bengbu. There was an urgent need to recruit new recruits. Low morale was an even more serious problem. Yang Ling was so careless.
No matter what, he didn't understand.
"You should stop complaining and do your own thing well. Deputy Commander Yang will not ignore it. He must have his own motives for doing this."
Lu Xing heard the fuss from the regiment members and had to stop them. It would be bad if Yang Ling listened to them.
In fact, as the same battalion commander Lu Xing had guessed, although Yang Ling wandered around various companies every day, he did not go there to chat, but to conduct a thorough investigation of the situation of the entire regiment.
Yang Ling used to serve as a battalion commander in a guerrilla camp, and his subordinates are all familiar brothers. He can control them like an arm.
However, this time, Brigadier Zhou Zhidao was transferred to the 301st Regiment as deputy commander. However, he knew nothing about the situation in the regiment before. The main purpose of the company these days is to sort out various situations and make him feel confident.
Firstly, secondly, it is to get closer to the soldiers.
Although Yang Ling's method is stupid, the effect is surprisingly good. In the past, the soldiers of each company and platoon could only communicate with their own company commanders and platoon commanders, while regimental-level officers were superior and beyond reach.
Now Yang Ling, the deputy commander, has no airs and stays with them all day long, so the relationship naturally becomes closer, making them feel that a real commander is by their side, which makes them feel more at ease.
Yang Ling's daily job was to encourage this brother and compare his marksmanship with that brother. Although it was just a simple matter, the concern was real and moved the brothers' hearts. Yang Ling became no longer in their hearts.
Instead of being strangers, they became brothers in the trenches with them.
Yang Ling quickly integrated into the 301st Regiment in this way, and he also gained the respect and support of countless brothers.
Even Captain Wang Meng, who originally harbored feelings of resistance to Yang Ling, gradually changed his view of Yang Ling and respected the officer from the bottom of his heart.
Naturally, Yang Ling also got a lot of information from chatting with his brothers, and got to know the situation of each company and platoon. He knew who had good marksmanship, how many battles he had fought, and where in his family he was.
In addition to getting closer with the brothers, Yang Ling also took time to go to the hospital to visit Ji Hongru, the acting leader of the regiment. This approach won praise from the brothers and made his image more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
.
The acting commander of the 301st Regiment, Ji Hongru, was originally the deputy commander and was temporarily promoted in Nanjing. However, he lived up to expectations and led the originally mediocre 301st Regiment like a howling tiger and wolf, and actually dared to attack the Japanese army.
Yang Ling admired such an officer who dared to show his sword to the Japanese army, so he took the time to visit Ji Hongru in the hospital, who was wrapped like a rice dumpling.
"Deputy Commander Yang, I will leave this regiment to you. If anyone disobeys you, just deal with it without asking me for instructions."
After half a month of training, Ji Hongru has regained his energy and spirit and has no objections to Yang Ling being his deputy.
Ji Hongru appointed Yang Ling as his new appointee, and Yang Ling also told him the truth about his arrangements these days.
The lack of troops for the entire regiment is not the biggest problem. The biggest problem is the sagging morale. After the Nanjing breakout, the troops seemed to have lost their souls.
Regarding the issue of troop morale, Yang Ling also had his own thoughts. After speaking out, he received affirmation and support from Ji Hongru, which made him very happy.
After bidding farewell to Ji Hongru, Yang Ling took time to find Zhang Hongying. She is now back in the hospital treating wounded soldiers. After a series of life and death, the relationship between Yang Ling and her has developed by leaps and bounds, and they are about to talk about marriage.
"Hongying——"
From a distance, Yang Ling saw Zhang Hongying chatting and laughing with a group of female soldiers, and waved her arms vigorously towards her.
"Sister Hongying, someone is calling you."
Seeing the talented Yang Ling in the distance, the gossiping female soldier began to speculate: "Maybe he likes our sister Hongying, hehe."
"You are the only ones who talk a lot." Zhang Hongying was surprised by Yang Ling's arrival. After being stunned for a few seconds, she immediately stood up from the group of female soldiers with a red face, and ran towards Yang Ling at a trot, much to the surprise of the female soldiers behind her.
envious.
Zhang Hongying was wearing a neat cotton uniform. The thick cotton uniform still could not hide her beautiful figure. Away from the smoke and flames of war, she regained her youthful vitality. When she saw Yang Ling, her face was filled with an excited smile.
"Why are you here?" Zhang Hongying was very happy to see Yang Ling, with joy in her tone.
Yang Ling smiled and joked: "Why, you're not welcome?"
"How dare you, little girl, not welcome my Deputy Commander Yang?" Zhang Hongying also stuck out her tongue mischievously, feeling as if she had been wiped with honey. She was too happy that Yang Ling could come see her.
"Why did you cut your hair?" Yang Ling asked, looking at Zhang Hongying's neck-length hair.
Zhang Hongying took off her military cap, turned around in a circle, smiled like a flower, and asked happily: "Does it look good?"
Yang Ling touched her nose and replied thoughtfully: "It's too ugly..."
"Go to hell!" Before Yang Ling could finish her words, Zhang Hongying was already waving her little fist and rushing towards Yang Ling with her teeth and claws spread out.
"This is a hospital, keep your voice down." A doctor passed by and scolded him.
Zhang Hongying stuck out her tongue guiltily and dragged Yang Ling out of the hospital door.
Away from the smoke and smoke of the battlefield, the two of them walked on the streets of Bengbu, chatting with each other about each other's current situation. Although it was cold and windy, they felt happier than ever before.
"I'm going to Wuhan in a few days." Zhang Hongying leaned on Yang Ling's arm and said with some reluctance.
"What are you going to Wuhan for?"
"Go and study." Zhang Hongying said with a smile: "When you see me from now on, you have to call me Doctor Zhang."