The three towns of Wuhan are located in the Jianghan Plain. Although the government declared Chongqing as the companion capital after the fall of Nanjing, the major party and government agencies evacuated to Wuhan but were unwilling to go back. After all, further west is a difficult area with high mountains and mountains.
In the war-torn land of China, Wuhan suddenly gathered millions of people and became the center and political center of the country's anti-Japanese and national salvation.
The embassies of various countries in China have also moved to Wuhan, factories and institutions that were evacuated from the coast have reestablished their roots here, and tens of thousands of political groups, publishing houses, plutocrats, and celebrities have also gathered here.
Most of North and Central China became occupied areas by the invading army, and the people lived in dire straits. However, in the Wuhan area, due to the war, there was abnormal prosperity.
As a large number of people poured into the three towns of Wuhan, various security problems also worsened. Japanese spies were also pervasive, assassinating officials and confusing the people, which became a cancer.
In this complex social environment, the Supreme Military Commission stationed in Wuhan reorganized and supplemented the gendarmerie troops and stationed them in various regions to assist the police stations in maintaining order, rectifying military discipline, and intimidating Xiaoxiao.
The military police battalion commanded by Zhao Wenbin was responsible for the security mission in Hankou city, so he had the opportunity to meet Yang Ling and others who were passing by, and sat down to chat and reminisce.
Although the tavern on the street is not big, the more than ten Eight Immortals tables in the lobby are fully occupied, and the turbid air is mixed with the smell of tobacco, spirits and sultry sweat.
Most of the people sitting in the lobby on the first floor were bulky soldiers with their sleeves rolled up, shirtless and shouting. They were wearing military uniforms of different colors. They were drinking happily at the moment, with their faces flushed.
As soon as Yang Ling and Zhao Wenbin, who were wearing military police lieutenant colonel uniforms, stepped into the threshold, the noisy first-floor lobby suddenly became eerily quiet.
The red-faced soldiers stood up in a hurry. Some of them hurriedly put on their clothes anxiously, while others stood at attention and saluted.
Compared with those high-ranking generals, what these big-headed soldiers fear most is the vicious military police like Zhao Wenbin. If they fall into their hands, they will lose their skin even if they die.
Zhao Wenbin didn't even look at the uneasy soldiers, and waved to the tavern owner: "Find a quiet seat, I want to drink with my brother."
The owner of the tavern is a slightly stout middle-aged man who has been operating in this street for many years. Naturally, he knows Zhao Wenbin, a well-known military police lieutenant colonel.
"Captain Zhao, please come upstairs -" the tavern owner hurriedly scolded a half-year-old child: "Hurry and lead the way for Battalion Commander Zhao."
Zhao Wenbin and Yang Ling climbed upstairs on the creaky wooden ladder, and the quiet lobby on the first floor became lively again.
"I think all the brothers on the first floor are a little afraid of you." Yang Ling unbuttoned his style buckle, sat on the bench with a majestic look, and spoke teasingly.
Zhao Wenbin also put aside his usual serious and cold expression, holding a teapot and pouring a glass of water for Yang Ling and explaining with a smile.
"Brother Yang, those of us who are military police are not as relaxed as you. If we don't have any dignity on weekdays, if we can't deter the troops from various provinces, then the city will be in chaos. So, if Ci doesn't control the troops, he should be ruthless
Don’t be soft-hearted when it comes to things.”
"That's true." Yang Ling smiled and took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.
"Bring two jars of good wine and two dishes to go with the wine." Zhao Wenbin ordered the half-grown child and sat down as well.
"Brother Yang, you are so lucky. Now you are in the 74th Army, which is the main force of the Central Army that the Chairman of the Standing Committee values. As long as you fight a few good battles, your future is limitless. Next time we meet, I will salute you and call you Chief Yang.
"Yeah."
Listening to Zhao Wenbin's sour ridicule, Yang Ling also waved his hand and said: "Brother Zhao, don't be jealous. As the saying goes, people are afraid of fame and pigs are afraid of strength. Although our 74th Army has achieved a little fame, it has become a thorn in the flesh of the Japanese."
, with the devil’s nature of retribution, next time we meet, we will be forced to die. Not to mention getting promoted and making a fortune, whether we can survive or not is a matter of two minds.”
"According to me, your military police force is better. Stay here in the safe rear. There are no combat missions. You don't have to go hungry, and you don't have to sleep in fear all day long with a gun in your arms. Your life is so comfortable. What else do you have?
fulfilled."
As Yang Ling was talking, the owner of the tavern personally brought over two jars of wine, a plate of peanuts and a plate of soy sauce meat.
Zhao Wenbin removed the mud seal from the wine jar, poured a full glass of wine for Yang Ling himself, then filled it himself, and without even clinking the glasses, he raised his head and poured it down his throat.
Looking at Zhao Wenbin's movements, Yang Ling also guessed that he had something on his mind.
"Brother Yang, let me tell you the truth. Although you can live comfortably in the gendarmerie and don't have to fight bloody battles with the Japanese on the front lines, in this gentle countryside, it is easy for people to lose their hard work and forget about the hatred of the country and the family.
."
"Since our Northeastern Army entered the Pass with the young marshal, all the four northeastern provinces have been lost to the little devils. My home has been occupied, and my parents don't know whether they are dead or alive. I have never dreamed of fighting back."
Zhao Wenbin started drinking again as he spoke. Yang Ling raised his glass and touched it with him, asking: "Since you don't want to stay in the military police force, why didn't you return to the original army?"
Hearing Yang Ling's question, Zhao Wenbin, who was slightly drunk, smiled bitterly and said: "Why didn't I want to follow those old brothers to fight against the Japanese? I want to fight back to the Northeast as soon as possible. But Brother Yang, you don't know something, and I also have my own difficulties.
ah."
Zhao Wenbin said: "Since our Northeast Army entered the customs, it has been scattered and organized into various war zones. It has become a stepmother's abandoned son. Wherever there is a fierce battle, it is sent to become cannon fodder. The brothers suffered heavy casualties and not only did not get equipment."
However, the supply numbers have been revoked one by one, which makes my brothers and I feel aggrieved."
…
"I finally understood that our Northeastern Army had no chance to fight back, so I took my brothers and surrendered to the military police. I didn't want to be cannon fodder or a scapegoat anymore."
Yang Ling also sighed in his heart. The old man wanted to divide and disintegrate the troops of various provinces, and his methods were extremely skillful. Now that the Northeast Army has lost its foundation, he will definitely try his best to reduce the strength of the Northeast Army.
However, Yang Ling knew this, but couldn't tell Zhao Wenbin clearly. He could only comfort and persuade him to think more openly.
"Let's not talk about these sad things. You are well-informed in the military police force. Do you have any valuable news recently?"
Yang Ling saw that Zhao Wenbin was slightly drunk, and if he continued talking like this, something would happen, so he changed the topic in time.
After Yang Ling and his troops withdrew from the Lanfeng battlefield, they had been on the train and the news was cut off. Now it was time to learn about some external situations from Zhao Wenbin.
"There's a lot of valuable news, what do you want to hear?"
"Of course it's about the good of the troops. We are not interested in other things when we are soldiers."
Yang Ling was naturally concerned about the upcoming war. After all, the Battle of Lanfeng was over. If he remembered correctly, the Japanese would have to launch an attack on Wuhan next. As the saying goes, if you know yourself and the enemy, you can fight a hundred battles, so he also wanted to get some news in advance.
Zhao Wenbin thought for a while and then said: "Let's talk about your Lanfeng battlefield first. Han Mulong, the commander of the 88th Division guarding Lanfeng, was shot yesterday."
Hearing this news, Yang Ling was not too surprised. After all, if Lan Feng failed to encircle and annihilate the Tufeiyuan Division, someone had to be the scapegoat. He felt a little unworthy for the commander of the 88th Division.
The 88th Division was the main force of German weapons that fought in Shanghai and Nanjing. Although it had no merit, it still had hard work. Who would have thought that it would become the scapegoat in Lanfeng City. Logically speaking, someone else should be shot.
"The commander of the 27th Army, Gui Yongqing, and the Commander of the 8th Army, Huang Jie, were also dismissed on the spot. This time the Chairman is so angry that I'm afraid they will never have a chance to stand up again," Zhao Wenbin continued.
Yang Ling also sighed slightly at the result of this treatment. He was really a direct line general of the Central Army, and the chairman still had some selfish motives. If he had been an unknown general and retreated without permission from the battlefield, he would have been shot long ago. He would not have been dismissed so lightly.