Independence Corps

Chapter 9
The General Headquarters of the 11th Army of the National Army is located in Meiyuan, No. 21 East Wenshu Road, Miliang City.Meiyuan was once the residence of Liu Ziqian, a university student in the Ming Dynasty.Liu Ziqian devoted his whole life to academic studies. At the age of 32, he was the county magistrate of Linhai.He has presided over the township examination and conference examination many times. At the age of 1496, he was sick and begged for rest. The emperor gave him a plum garden with a radius of one hundred and twenty miles.After Liu Ziqian's death, his descendants were unworthy, and Meiyuan was in decline. Later, it was attacked by war, collapsed in an earthquake, and Meiyuan was completely defeated.During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi visited Miliang Mountain privately and found the plum garden. He regarded it as a treasure and ordered it to be rebuilt.

The old commander Tu Zhucheng led his troops to Miliang City. When he saw Meiyuan at a glance, he thought that it would be better to provide for the elderly here, so he gave an order to transform Meiyuan into the headquarters of the 11th Army Group of the National Army.The old commander Tu Zhucheng lived in Meiyuan for 15 years, and his life was very prosperous, and Meiyuan also had another name because of him: Tufu.

Tu Lanlong, the new commander-in-chief of the 11th Group Army of the Kuomintang, spent his 37th day living in Tufu in a busy schedule.On this day, he handled a total of seven military affairs and received four groups of guests.Among the four groups of guests were those from Nanjing, the 24th Army of the Wing Army, and two groups of guests. He would not say that although the other party was under the banner of a special commissioner, his real identity surprised even the commander-in-chief.An hour ago, he received a call saying that the special commissioner dispatched by the Chongqing side to Miliang City would arrive soon.These people are always like this, their whereabouts are secretive, and they only let you know when they are almost at your door.Tu Lanlong shook his head. He didn't want to see any guests today. He was tired. The busy military work and the conversations with four groups of people made him physically and mentally exhausted. He needed to find a place to relax.Either listen to music quietly for a while, make a pot of Yandang Maofeng, and let yourself relax in the fragrance of tea.Or take Old Tang to listen to the opera. The one-legged old Tang has called him several times, saying that a Majia troupe has come to Xibazi's opera garden, and the opera sings well, and there are two characters who are particularly lovable.If you don't listen, the Japanese will really call, and I'm afraid you won't have the chance to listen to the show.He handed over the responsibility of receiving the commissioner to his adjutant, Teng Yunfei, and asked him to settle the visitor down first. As for how to talk, he still had to think carefully.The great enemy is now, and the princes from all walks of life are coming and going. He, the commander-in-chief who took office not long ago, has once again become a favorite.Both Chongqing and Nanjing wanted to lure him, and his old Shangfeng General Fu Zuoyi also sent someone to bring a secret letter.It seems that the Japanese guns have completely disrupted the pattern of the world. In the midst of the chaos, no one can predict how the situation will go.

At this time, Tu Lanlong became calmer.He's only 32, but you don't look like a 32-year-old.From wandering around the world with his adoptive father Tu Zhucheng in his teens, to leading troops to fight in the north and south, his military career, the vicissitudes of life, the years have left too much on his face.But these do not affect his current pivotal position among the various factions of the national army.

Tu Lanlong packed up several top-secret documents on his desk, put them in the safe, took out the Browning pistol, fiddled with it carefully for a while, and prepared to leave the headquarters.

Tu Lanlong is a fan of operas. When he was the commander of the 24th Division, he often took his adjutant Teng Yunfei or his closest subordinates to the theater to listen to operas.Of course, the 24th division is stationed in Datong, and the facilities and conditions of the theater over there are incomparable in Miliang City.When he arrived in Miliang City, because Tu Lanlong took over the military affairs and because of the death of his adoptive father Tu Zhu, he was temporarily estranged from the show.But tonight, Tu Lanlong really wanted to listen to the play.He picked up the phone on the table: "Call me Xibazi Old Tang."

Not long after, Old Tang's trembling voice came from the phone: "Is it the young commander?" Tu Lanlong said "Yes".Old Tang used to be the follower of his adoptive father Tu Zhucheng, but in fact he was a staff member who took care of his adoptive father's daily life.Old Tang loved theater all his life, and all theater troupes who came to Miliang City had to go through his hands before deciding whether they could earn a living in Miliang City.His adoptive father Tu Zhu sincerely thought of his loyalty and proficiency in opera, so he simply built an opera garden in Xibazi and entrusted him to manage it.The relationship between Tu Lanlong and Old Tang has existed for a long time. This time, his adoptive father suffered an accident, and it was Old Tang who gave him the news at the first time.Under the orders of Chief Yan, he hurried from Datong to Miliang City to take up the post of commander-in-chief of the 11th Army. Old Tang was the happiest person.In the first few days when he came here, Old Tang followed him almost every step of the way. Regarding the various possibilities of the death of his adoptive father Tu Zhucheng, Old Tang analyzed them one by one for him.At first glance, it sounds like both are murderers, but after careful consideration, they don't look like each other.For this matter, Tu Lanlong lost half of his hair in a month, and if he lost it again, his head full of wisdom would really be exposed.It's all right to expose the top, the fear is that this matter will trap his hands and feet and make him unable to do anything.This was a very dangerous sign. Tu Lanlong and Old Tang realized it almost at the same time, so they decided to put the old commander's death aside for now.People cannot be resurrected after death. For the dead, whether they are killed by others or by themselves, it is a death.But for the living, there is still a lot to do.

Old Tang promised him that unless he asked, he would never take the initiative to mention the old commander.Old Tang also promised him that he would find a way to make him happy.Yes, only Old Tang knew that he was not happy when he came to Miliang City.

"Young Commander, do you want to come out?" Old Tang asked.

Tu Lanlong gave another "hmm".

"Well, you wait, I'll drive over right away." Old Tang has a car, and his car was specially approved by the old commander. In Miliang City, Old Tang enjoys too many privileges.

Tu Lanlong said "no" and told Old Tang a place to wait there.

This evening, when the special commissioner from Chongqing was welcomed into the plum garden by Teng Yunfei and others, the commander-in-chief, Tu Lanlong, took advantage of the night to get out by the side door.

Going out from the side door is the famous No. 1 Road in Miliang City.There are two roads in Miliang City named by the old commander Tu Zhucheng, but they are not actually named.The old commander Tu Zhucheng was just a man with a rough knowledge of literature and ink. He had led troops and fought in battle all his life, and was used to that straight-forward approach. He treated people as well as things.For example, for these two roads, he said casually at the time, let’s call them No. 1 and No. 2.As a result, Miliang City had two more roads named after numbers. Route 1 and Route 2. Road No. 2 is the one leading from the east exit of Wenshu Road to Meiyuan, which is the right way.Generally, if someone from the outside world wants to enter Meiyuan, that is, the Tufu, they must take the No. 2 road.This road is like a mysterious corridor, long and quiet, with a hint of murderous intent.Since the old commander Tu Zhucheng lived in Meiyuan, there have been no less than 15 assassinations on this road in the past [-] years, each of which ended in the death of the assassin.It is said that the plum garden blesses Tu Zhucheng and the people of Miliang City, but Tu Zhucheng was not able to escape the plot in the end.

And No. 1 road is a side road from the Ziteng Garden next to the plum garden next to the Tufu side gate and entering the Miliang City Xiyunshuijian.It's convenient, but it's not inconvenient at all.

Compared with No. 2 Road, the security of No. 1 Road is particularly strict.Since the old commander Tu Zhucheng decided to guard Miliang City, this avenue leading to Yunshuijian has been blocked.When the Plum Garden is transformed into a luxurious Tufu, No. 1 Road will truly become the number one thoroughfare in Miliang City.On this avenue, which is no more than three miles long, Tu Zhucheng arranged a regiment of troops, which can be said to be one post at three steps and one sentry at five steps.In the dense woods on both sides of the avenue, you can't be sure what he is hiding. The electrified barbed wire stretches from Yunshuijian to the plum garden, and then suddenly turns a corner and extends to a more secret place.Tu Zhucheng did this because he considered his safety. He spent his whole life on the battlefield. Tu Zhucheng killed countless people, from officers and soldiers to bandits and hooligans. The ace brigade of the 1372 brigade, he dared to lay down his pockets so that he would never return.Heroes leave their names, right and wrong. Although Commander Tu has changed from a reckless man to the commander-in-chief of an independent army with 1 troops, he is an outlaw army after all, and belongs to the kind that occupies the mountain and is king.In the Kuomintang system, he is far less famous than those warlords.That's all, from the day Tu Zhucheng got on his horse and picked up his knife as a reckless man, he never thought about what title he wanted, what he wanted was freedom.But who knows that freedom is an elusive thing, the more you want to have it, the more difficult it will be for you.In addition to fighting and killing all his life, he has made countless enemies. Within the Kuomintang alone, there are many people who want to take his head.He can't help it.There is another more important reason. Commander Tu Zhu has a flamboyant nature and never keeps a low profile. He used a regiment of troops to defend No. [-] Road just to show others that Tu Zhucheng is no longer what he used to be. The butcher who almost knelt down for three guns.

The driver was Ruan Xiaoliu, Tu Lanlong's bodyguard.Tu Lanlong came to Miliang this time, in addition to bringing his own new fifth division (formerly the 24th brigade of the 5th division, after arriving in Miliang, Tu Lanlong directly promoted it to the fifth division of the 11th Army), he also brought a lot of confidants, Such as Ruan Xiaoliu, such as adjutant Teng Yunfei, chef Cao Daman and so on.These people are all possessing unique skills, and, having followed him through life and death for many years, the relationship between them has already surpassed that of superiors and subordinates.In Tu Lanlong's view, the lives of these people have already been tied to him.

"They are more brothers than brothers." This is what Tu Lanlong said to his wife Zu Tiao when they left the university.

Although Tu Lanlong arrived in Miliang City with his direct line teacher Xin Wushi and some confidantes, his wife Zu Tiao and daughter Zhenzhen stayed in Datong.This was a heart disease of Tu Lanlong, but he kept it at the bottom of his heart, not letting anyone see it, including Ruan Xiaoliu who was driving.

Ruan Xiaoliu was introduced to him by his wife Zu Tiao. He is a distant relative of Zu Tiao. He first worked for his father-in-law Zu Cihang.Zu Cihang couldn't stand his daughter's entanglements, and the night before his daughter's marriage, he suddenly made a decision to send Ruan Xiaoliu to Tu Lanlong as a dowry.Facts have proved that his wife Zu Tiao's vision was correct. In the past eight years, Ruan Xiaoliu had saved his life three times, but he was seriously injured twice, and almost lost his life once.

When thinking this way, Tu Lanlong raised his gaze, and asked Ruan Xiaoliu, who was concentrating on driving in the front row, "Any news about Jietong?"

Yuan Jietong was Ruan Xiaoliu's wife, a graduate of Shanxi Women's Normal College, and was assigned to work in the Provincial Mining Bureau after graduation, and Tiao Tiao acted as a matchmaker for them.The two had been married for less than a year, but because of the sudden war and the accidental death of their adoptive father Tu Zhucheng, the newlyweds were forced to separate.

Ruan Xiaoliu held the steering wheel tightly with both hands, and stared ahead vigilantly. When he heard the question, he didn't answer immediately. The car carefully turned a corner in front, and he said softly: "Not yet."

Tu Lanlong didn't ask any more questions, many questions had no answers, just like he didn't know where his wife and daughter were, whether they were in Datong or with his father-in-law, and he didn't know how his father-in-law Zu Cihang's business was, his personal safety any questions.These are all military secrets. In special times, there are suddenly more special regulations in the military. Some are for all officers and soldiers, and some are for very few individuals.Tu Lanlong sighed helplessly, he was one of these very few.

The car quickly left the plum garden, followed by Ziteng Garden, and the road was still heavily guarded. Soldiers armed with guns sent posts every five steps and sentry every ten steps.Half of these soldiers were left here by the old commander Tu Zhucheng, and half were added by Hua Tianming, the commander of the new Fifth Division.The New Fifth Division is currently playing an important role in Miliang City. In addition to being responsible for the personal safety of Meiyuan and Tu Lanlong, it is also responsible for the security of the entire city.During dinner last night, Hua Tianming also said that the strength of the New Fifth Division should be replenished at several important bridgeheads and three ammunition depots.Tu Lanlong only listened and didn't express his opinion. For more than a month, in the face of all kinds of news or rumors, Tu Lanlong always listened and did not express his opinion easily.

The attitude is not messy, this is a principle of Tu Lanlong's work, and it is also a principle of his leadership.In the past, he led the 24th Division. Facing the complex situation in the Second Theater and the ever-changing and elusive personality of Chief Yan, he asked himself to be calm in his actions and cautious in his words.Now that he is in command of the 11th Army Group, he must be more cautious in his words and deeds.

When the car arrived at Yunshuijian, the driver Ruan Xiaoliu asked, "Commander, do you want to drive in?"

Tu Lanlong nodded, and glanced at Yunshuijian, the vast sky of Yunshuijian, this day seems to have a lot of thoughts, and the night has aggravated this layer of concern, making people feel that Yunshuijian is no longer a place. Scenic spots, but a sad place.In fact, Yunshuijian used to be a holy place of Buddhism. In the late Qing Dynasty, Miliang City was in chaos. A war burned 88 pavilions, including the magnificent hall and the Buddhist scriptures pavilion.After many repairs, it is still difficult to show the original scenery.After Commander Tu Lao guarded the rice grain city, he changed it to a place where he can watch the mountains and clouds. He just opened up a piece of the original hall, built another passage, built a temple, and kept the strong incense.The real Yunshuijian has changed its use since then, and has become a place where the political, business, and military parties discuss their affairs.

The one in charge of guarding Yunshuijian was the 56th Regiment that followed Commander Tu in the uprising, and it was Tu Zhucheng's foundation.Tu Zhucheng treated this team exceptionally well and valued it exceptionally.When Tu Lanlong walked in on foot, the old regiment leader Gu Shanyi and a dozen people had already greeted him on both sides of the doorway.After Gu Shanyi saluted, Tu Lanlong asked, "Has Old Tang come?"

Gu Shanyi said he was here, waiting in Hall No. 200.The large and small houses in Yunshuijian are all numbered. It is said that when they were numbered at the beginning, the old commander and Gu Shanyi really took a lot of brains to distinguish more than 36 houses and [-] halls according to their uses. , It is indeed a nerve-wracking thing to assign numbers to it with another meaning.About the mysteries and wit in the numbers, the one-legged old Tang told Tu Lanlong a little bit. No matter how interesting and energetic what Old Tang said, Tu Lanlong felt dull after listening to it.A house is a house, no more than a human being. To make these houses made of wood and stones have a soul is a dream. This is Tu Lanlong’s point of view.But according to Old Tang, the old commander Tu Zhucheng firmly believed in this. Tu Zhucheng's point of view is that everything in the world has a soul, and it is not enough to have a soul, but to give them emotions.Live in a house with emotion and justice, and your heart will be at ease.

Hearing the sound, Old Tang came out. Old Tang standing on a high place is like an eagle. More often than not, this eagle needs you to look up, but once he sits beside you with a smile, you feel that Old Tang is the one you left. Not a playmate anymore.

old urchin.This is a nickname that Tu Lanlong once gave to Old Tang.

Old Tang pounded on the iron crutches to get down, but Tu Lanlong waved his hand quickly, motioning for himself to go up.Old Tang smiled "hehe" in the wind, no matter whether it is the old commander or the young commander, he has an innate sense of superiority over others, which is the reason for his smile.

Old Tang said that the Majia troupe came from Anshan, and this troupe has real kung fu, and the best play is "The Legend of the White Snake".

"You haven't seen it. This play is sung to death. Once it is sung, it makes me cry once." Old Tang became excited when he talked about the play, and his spirits gradually became brighter. A new character, hey, tender, at most seventeen or eighteen."

Tu Lanlong's face darkened suddenly, and Old Tang realized something, he chuckled: "Don't think badly, I didn't mean that, these two girls are very skilled, you will understand when you go."

These are indeed two extraordinary characters. When Tu Lanlong was sitting in the theater, he didn't dare to put his mind on the two girls. Too many things disturbed his mind. Although he followed Old Tang into the theater, My heart seems to be still in the plum garden.But when the two girls played for a while, especially when the White Snake sang the play with Xiao Qingxi Lake, Tu Lanlong's heart was seized immediately.Old Tang saw him entering the play, and fanned the wind vigorously from the side: "Look, that figure, that way of walking, that singing voice, hey, I, Old Tang, have listened to plays all my life, and I haven't been fascinated by any troupe yet. To this extent."

Tu Lanlong thought he was talking too much, so he picked up an apple and handed it to him, Old Tang shut up knowingly.

Tu Lanlong watched this play with great concentration. When the white lady confessed her love to Xu Xian, his eyes, which were always as hard as anything, rolled out a few drops of wetness.Old Tang saw it, but pretended not to see it.

The play finally came to an end, and the spectators dispersed one after another.Most of the people who can go to Xibazi to watch operas are famous people and merchants in Miliang City, such as shopkeeper Sun of Hengtong Rice Store, tailor Liu Tailor and his three concubines, money shopkeeper and family members of Dahe Bank, etc.There are also many cultural people, such as Principal Wang of the normal school, Master Zeng who taught Chinese studies, and Miliangshan people who wrote and painted.After these people left one by one, Tu Lanlong still sat motionless in the private room on the second floor, as if this play had seriously injured his nerves.Old Tang was self-righteous, and quickly ran to call for the troupe master horse.Banzhu Ma is in his early forties, and he looks simple and honest, but upon closer inspection, he also has a bookish air.It's just that in the wind and rain, the book's air can't stand the sun and the moon, and it's a little spotty and hard to distinguish.Banzhu Ma didn't recognize Tu Lanlong, and he didn't know that this was Tu Lanlong, the young commander who was powerful and swept across half of China, and now sits in Miliang Mountain.In his eyes, everyone Old Tang knew was a big shot, so he bowed his waist and saluted Tu Lanlong as soon as they met.Tu Lanlong was usually annoyed by these things, just now he sat still, not because he was thinking about drama.As for drama, you have seen it once you have seen it. You can't take it seriously, let alone let it dominate your heart.Although Tu Lanlong was a good performer, he did it with a sense of proportion, unlike Old Tang, who was so overwhelmed that he ran to the stage to perform and sing by himself.Tu Lanlong was moved by the love between Xu Xian and the white lady, and suddenly thought of Zu Tiao and his precious daughter Zhenzhen in his heart.Since Old Tang invited the head of the class, he had to express something.

(End of this chapter)