Chapter 2 I don't argue
A beam of golden sunlight only exposed one side at first, but in an instant, it was like a javelin piercing the wall of the cell, printing a huge irregular square.
Yu Chengwan woke up. He opened his sleepy eyes, and the first thing he found was not the dazzling light coming in from the iron window, nor the spider web swaying in the shadow of the halo, but a milky white, Crouched figures.He was wondering, is this an oil painting?Or sculpture?How did it stick to the ceiling?For a moment he was puzzled.
The guard opened the iron lock of the cell door, and the orderly brought a basin of warm water for Yu Chengwan to brush his teeth and wash his face.Because he is a lieutenant general of the national army, and he did not commit the most sensitive and hated political crime of the Kuomintang, so even though he was in prison, he was given some corresponding treatment.
The hot water rose into mist, and the moment Yu Chengwan took the towel and wiped his face with his head up, he suddenly found that the figure on the ceiling was melting, turning into cold water droplets and dripping down on his scalp.
"Ah!" He whispered softly, it turned out that this was the heat emitted by him curled up on the bunk at night, and it was frozen to the human form condensed on the ceiling, which is really a spectacle.
Only then did Yu Chengwan feel cold, cold to the bone marrow.He, an old man who grew up in Taishan, a subtropical seaside, experienced the chill in Chongqing for the first time.Of course, as long as a stove is lit in the house, the cold will be driven away, but his current situation makes it impossible for him to touch the flames.
Breakfast came, with fried cakes, hot sauce, and a small cup of hot milk.After Yu Chengwan wolfed down everything, he felt that there was some blood flowing in his body.
"General, Director Yu is here to see you." The orderly reminded him close to his ear.
"Director Yu?" Yu Chengwan didn't react for a while.At the same time, Yu Jishi, who was wearing a neat lieutenant general's uniform, black shiny leather boots, and a shiny bald head, strode in and called him, "Brother Shi Jian!"
"Army seat!" Yu Chengwan blurted out, and subconsciously stood at attention immediately.
Yu Jishi waved his hands and said with a smile: "Seeing you, seeing you, call me Jishi." When he smiled, his lips were shortened immediately, because he had a defect in his upper lip since he was born, and it was only closed after surgery.Yu Jishi has no name and no name, and his affectionate name is "Jishi".
But the word "Ji Shi" is not just called casually.Yu Jishi was a prominent figure in the Kuomintang, and now he is the director of the attendant office of Chiang Kai-shek, chairman of the Kuomintang Military Committee.He was born in Fenghua, Zhejiang Province in 1904. He was from the same hometown as Chiang Kai-shek. According to legend, he was Chiang's nephew. In fact, he was the nephew of Yu Feipeng, a former deputy director of the Military Supplies Department of the Whampoa Military Academy and an army general.Yu Jishi graduated from the first phase of Whampoa, and he and Yu Chengwan are classmates and friends.More importantly, this younger brother, who is two years younger than Yu Chengwan, was once the commander of the 74th Army, and Yu Chengwan served as the commander of the 57th Division under him. He is really an old classmate and subordinate. Their relationship is even more extraordinary.
"Ji Shi, I didn't expect us to meet here!" Yu Chengwan smiled wryly.
A guard brought a soft chair early, and Yu Jishi and Yu Chengwan sat down to talk.
"Brother Shi Jian, I have a lot of miscellaneous tasks in this position. It's my fault for being negligent. I didn't know until you came." Yu Jishi explained, and then he comforted, "Don't worry, I will go to the principal to speak for you. You The first time I defended the lonely city in Changde, the feedback was good, and the battle was fought beautifully. I saw a few telegrams saying that you were afraid of death, but I didn’t believe it! Others don’t know, and I, Yu Jishi, don’t know about you?” said As he spoke, Yu Jishi was a little impulsive, with two thick eyebrows raised, his eyes piercing and piercing.
Indeed, Yu Chengwan had an excellent performance under Yu Jishi's subordinates, that was the Gao'an campaign.
In the first ten days of April 1939, the headquarters of the Itagaki Division of the Japanese Army invaded Gao'an, Jiangxi. Due to the sudden outbreak of the war and the urgent situation, the Chongqing Kuomintang Military Committee immediately mobilized the 51st, 57th, and 58th divisions under the jurisdiction of the 74th Army and Wang Tiehan of the 49th Army. One division, under the command of Yu Jishi, the commander of the 74th Army at the time, went straight to Gao'an to join the battle. On April 8, Wang Yaowu's 51st Division, Yu Chengwan's 57th Division, and Liao Lingqi's 58th Division arrived at the designated positions on time.Yu Jishi led Zhang Qingliu, Chief of Staff, and Lin Tiqing, Chief of Operations, to the front command post.Gao'an City is located on the north bank of the Mianjiang River, and the command post is located in Niejia Village on the western outskirts of the city.Yu inspected the terrain, considered the combat characteristics of the three divisions, and ordered the 51st Division to guard Gao'an City, and the soldiers built fortifications overnight to prepare for the battle.The other two divisions are preparing to form two iron fists, each with a left and right wing.But before the troops were ready for defense, the Japanese army arrived and launched a fierce attack in one go. On the afternoon of the 10th, there was a continuous drizzle in northern Jiangxi during the yellow plum season. The military command post had clearly heard gunshots from the front line, and the troops of the 51st Division retreated to Gao'an City.Out of concern for Yu Jishi, Yu Chengwan on the flank kept calling to inquire about the situation.Yu Jishi said calmly that he was safe and asked Yu Chengwan to strengthen his guard.Cannonballs had exploded one after another near the command post. Yu Jishi was wearing a raincoat and was nervous. After the transfer order was issued, he didn't have time to eat dinner. He traveled all night and crossed the river in the rain. Wangcun, Yu Chengwan's division headquarters.
At this time, Gao'an City had fallen into the enemy's hands, and Ma Junyan, chief of staff of the army, suggested to Yu Jishi to change the 57th Division to attack the city, the 51st and 58th Divisions, and Wang Tiehan's Division to respond.Yu Jishi rejected this plan. He considered that the Japanese army usually drives deep and will not stay in the city for a long time, and the attacking troops will not be very difficult. Blocking the enemy's attack, the main force of the Itagaki Division will be severely damaged, and the Gao'an Battle will undoubtedly be won. Based on this consideration, the blocking force should be the strongest. He selected Yu Chengwan Division.The 51st Division is still attacking from the front, the 58th Division is holding back, and Wang Tiehan's division blocks the south bank of the Mianjiang River.
Amidst the sound of gunfire, Yu Jishi held Yu Chengwan's hand tightly and said, "It's all up to my brother. Brother Shi Jian wins if he wins, and brother Shi Jian loses if he loses!"
"Don't worry, the military seat, Shi Jian will fight to the death!" Yu Chengwan made a solemn military salute with a "click".
Sure enough, the 51st Division quickly broke into the city, and a regiment of the Japanese army withdrew from the urban area under the cover of the plane, and rushed towards Yu Chengwan Division's Fengxin direction.Yu Chengwan had already ordered the troops to dig traps and lay mines to prevent the advance of heavy weapons such as enemy tanks and chariots. He also organized layers of machine gun firepower nets and scattered lines of infantry fighting with hand-to-hand combat to deal with the enemy's echelon charges.The enemy's offensive was fierce, and the artillery several times that of the national army blasted the position into loose soil. The plane dropped incendiary bombs in the air and ignited a raging fire, which made the defenders suffocate and their faces seemed to be covered with black charcoal.As the battle continued, there were many casualties among the officers and soldiers of the 57th Division. A regiment leader called the division headquarters in a crying voice to ask for instructions to retreat. Yu Chengwan gritted his teeth and ordered: "I hit you alone, and I will replace you in the end, and I must hold the position!" Put it down On the phone, he ignored Yu Jishi's repeated orders to stay at the command post, and rushed to the front to personally supervise the battle.In this battle, at the cost of more than 2,000 casualties, the 57th Division, together with other troops, withstood the Japanese offensive in Gao'an, and was awarded by the theater and the Military Commission for the record of completely annihilating a regiment of the enemy. The park held a celebration meeting.
The past was vivid in his memory, and Yu Jishi was deeply impressed by Yu Chengwan's heroic yet elegant style. He did not believe that Yu Hui was a wretched coward who was afraid of death, but he did not understand how the old principal Chiang Kai-shek could treat Yu Jishi Cheng Wan, a student in the first batch of Whampoa, was so angry that he didn't dare to say that Chiang Kai-shek had actually ordered Yu Chengwan to be shot.
"How about this," Yu Jishi pondered for a moment, and said with the attitude of being responsible to the end, "You write a statement of defense, and I will submit it for you..."
After hearing this, Yu Chengwan shook his head and said repeatedly: "No, no, I won't write a statement of defense." "No? Why?" Yu Jishi was a little surprised.
"I don't plead, I'm guilty!" Yu Chengwan said firmly and stubbornly.
Just for being loyal and upright, Yu Chengwan is also the essence of the party-state.Yu Jishi thought.He has seen a lot of cunning, cruel, insidious and vicious generals who rob when they have merit and push back when they have merit.He still regrets that Feng Ti, Commander of Changsha Security, died at his hands, and he failed to help save him.Afterwards he said sadly: "Feng Ti is a rare general!"
"No, you have to write, you must write!" Yu Jishi said as if giving an order, "Even if you crossed the river in Changde in the last two days, you have persisted for 16 days and nights after all, the merit outweighs the fault! Why don't you defend yourself? !"
"I'm guilty, I won't plead!" Yu Chengwan still said the same thing.
In the cold weather, several wintersweet plants in the prison courtyard bloomed very luxuriantly, exuding a faint fragrance.With the sound of the horn, a black Chevrolet sedan stopped in front of the flower platform, the door opened, and the sturdy General Wang Yaowu stepped down.
The guards came forward to salute him.
Wang Yaowu was ordered by the Military Commission to return to Chongqing to report on his work, and Yu Jishi asked him to come to see Yu Chengwan immediately and do the work of this old classmate who was not enlightened.On the way, he knew that Yu Chengwan's trip was bad or bad, so he could not help but lean his head on the car seat, close his eyes slightly, his thoughts were mixed, and he was filled with emotion.The friendship between him and Yu Chengwan is truly a life-and-death friendship.
On March 14, 1941, the Japanese army secretly transferred and assembled in three routes at night.North Road, the 33rd Division has more than 14,000 people, assembled near Qianzhou Street; Middle Road, the 34th Division has about 20,000 main forces, except for a part of the original position, gathered near Xishan and Longevity Palace; South Road , More than 8,000 people from the 20th Independent Melee Brigade gathered near Houtian Street.From the perspective of strategic intentions, the Japanese army wanted to control the strategically important Nanchang and weaken the offensive power of the Chinese army. From the perspective of campaign intentions, the intention was to split routes and attack together, sweep up the materials on the west bank of the Ganjiang River, attack the front of the Chinese 19th Army Group, and achieve The purpose of the "Poyang mopping up war".
Luo Zhuoying, deputy commander-in-chief of the Ninth Theater and commander-in-chief of the 19th Army, ordered the Li Jue Department of the 70th Army to be a left-wing decoy corps, using the first and second two-line positions to form a series of resistance. Back, cut off the traffic in the rear of the Japanese army.On the right wing, the Liu Duoquan Division of the 49th Army of the Third Theater under the command of Luo Zhuoying secretly attacked from the east bank of the Ganjiang River, and cooperated with the friendly forces on the left wing to encircle the enemy from outside.On the front, Wang Yaowu of the 74th Army led Li Tianxia's 51st Division, Yu Chengwan's 57th Division, and Liao Lingqi's 58th Division as the decisive battle corps.
After the Battle of Gao'an, Yu Jishi was promoted to deputy commander-in-chief of the 10th Army and commander of the 86th Army, and Wang Yaowu filled his vacancy as commander of the 74th Army.When he first led the army, Wang was a little uneasy, fearing that his brothers who were originally division commanders would not agree with him.Especially Yu Chengwan, not only was he two periods higher than him in Huangpu, he was also one year older than him, and he had already been a lieutenant general.Yu Chengwan seemed to have seen through his thoughts, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Go ahead and do it, I promise to listen to you!" This made Wang Yaowu feel grateful and relieved, as long as the veteran Yu Chengwan and I stand together Together, who dares to disobey orders?
On the morning of March 15th, the 33rd Division of the Japanese Army under the command of North Route Chief Sakurai fired the first shell of the Battle of Shanggao.But then it was discovered that they had entered the dense encirclement that the Chinese army had already prepared.
The 34th Division of the Middle Road, the main force of the Japanese army, was blocked by Wang Yaowu's troops near Sixi on the east bank of Surabaya in the northeast of Shanggao. Starting on the 20th, the Japanese army bombarded the Chinese army positions on the west bank of Surabaya with more than 10 cannons and more than 30 aircraft. The 74th Army had only 57th and 58th divisions in its position, and the 51st Division had been ordered to maneuver deep into the Japanese flanks, so the position was guarded against a large number of troops, which made Wang Yaowu very worried.
On the morning of the 22nd, the besieged Japanese army concentrated more than 10,000 troops and, relying on the cover of dozens of aircraft, stormed the main position of the 57th Division.Yu Chengwan commanded the officers and soldiers to "reject with all their might. Although blood and flesh were flying and the casualties were heavy, they still did not retreat. The casualties of the enemy and the enemy on the whole line were more than 4,000 in one day."
In order to strengthen the front-line troops, win the time for the two wings to approach, and strive for reinforcements, the special service battalion of the Group Army Command was ordered to go to the 74th Army's position to participate in the battle that day.
Wang Yaowu called Yu Chengwan's name on the phone and said: "Your position cannot be broken, let the Japanese army open the encirclement net, and I will take my head to see the commander-in-chief!"
"Cut off my hair!" Yu Chengwan also said fiercely.
On the 23rd, the main force of the 34th Division of the Japanese Army, about 6,000 people, once again attacked the main positions of the 74th Army on the Niejia, Xiapiqiao, and Xulou lines.The Chinese defenders concentrated mortar bombardment, and the Japanese army suffered serious damage.The enemy then used ten planes to straf and bomb the Chinese position at low altitude, covering the infantry's rush.At night, the enemy attacked again with all their strength. The Chinese officers and soldiers were killed and wounded, but they still tried their best to hold on. On the morning of the 24th, the Baimao Mountain position once occupied by the Japanese army was recaptured by the Chinese army.
On the morning of the same day, Dahe, head of the Japanese division, personally supervised the battle, and gathered more than 3,000 people from Ikeda's remnant troops on the South Road for the final victory.The Japanese army dispatched more than a hundred planes to repeatedly bomb the Xiapiqiao positions of the 57th Division and the Baimao Mountain positions of the 58th Division, dropping as many as 1,700 bombs.
"Where is Master Yu?" Wang Yaowu led the army reserve team to the front and asked Long Chuyun, the chief of staff of the division.
Long Chuyun pointed to the front slope filled with gunpowder smoke and said: The teacher led the guard platoon to the top!
With a wave of Wang Yaowu's hand, the army reserve team roared and rushed forward. In just half an hour, they fought the enemy seven times and killed more than 2,000 enemies.The soldiers of the 74th Army sacrificed their lives and bought decisive time for encircling the enemy on both wings.The Zhang Yanchuan Division of the 70th Army on the right wing of the Chinese Army pointed from Guanqiao to Bijia, where the headquarters of the Ridahe Division is located.So far, an oval encirclement with a diameter of 10 Li from north to south and 30 Li from east to west has been completed.
On the 25th, the 74th Army and friendly troops on the northeast front of Shanggao attacked across the board. The 57th Division Chengwan attacked northward via Panjiaqiao, the 58th Division Liao Lingqi and the 107th Division Song Yingzhong attacked Guanqiao; the 105th Division Wang Kejun attacked the enemy's side from the east of Guanqiao; To the south of Zhouzhou, the base of Chen Liang of the New 14th Division turned to the southeast via Tangpu.
"It's so damn good!" Wang Yaowu clapped his hands happily and shouted in Shandong dialect.
At this time, an adjutant answered the phone and came to tell him: "Army seat, report from the 57th Division, Commander Yu was shot and injured!"
"Ah?" Wang Yaowu was startled suddenly, "Hurry up, go to Division 57!"
The guards brought their mounts, Wang Yaowu and his entourage flew on the horses, and galloped towards the front position where the bullets were flying.
The artillery shells blasted deep pits all around, and the bullets drilled like locusts, and the shouts of killing were endless, and groups of red-eyed Chinese soldiers swooped at the Japanese army with their guns.Yu Chengwan was leaning against a ridge supported by the guards, blood "gurgling" from his heels, staining the white bandage and the ground under his feet red.
"Brother Shi Jian, how is your injury?" Wang Yaowu jumped off his horse and ran towards here, asking eagerly as he ran.
"Zuomin, go and command the troops, why do you care about me?" Yu Chengwan struggled anxiously to stand up.
"Don't move." Wang Yaowu supported him, "Is it just a foot injury? Are you okay?"
"It's caused by stray bullets, nothing serious." Yu Chengwan said nonchalantly, but couldn't hide the pain and grinned.
At the end of the Battle of Shanggao, the Chinese army killed Major General Iwanaga of the Japanese Army and Hamada, Commander of the Taizu Regiment, causing more than 15,000 enemy casualties, more than 2,800 military horses, shot down an aircraft, captured more than 100 Japanese soldiers, and captured 10 mountain guns, mortars and More than a thousand rifles.He Yingqin called it "the most exciting battle" since the Anti-Japanese War.Luo Zhuoying praised the 74th Army as the "Anti-Japanese Iron Army".After the war, the 74th Army was awarded the highest prize in the army - the Flying Tiger Banner, and the 57th Division was named the "Hu Ben" unit.
Wang Yaowu and Yu Chengwan sat silently in the prison cell.A pot of charcoal fire was placed between the two.
"Brother Shi Jian..."
"Samin..."
"You...do your feet still hurt?" Wang Yaowu hesitated to speak.
"It's okay, it hurts only when it's rainy. Zuo Min, I know what you're going to say. I appreciate it. But I've made up my mind and won't argue."
"Ah!" Wang Yaowu sighed and slammed his fist on the wall.
Yu Chengwan's classmates were all generals, and I don't know which classmate kindly arranged for his wife, Ms. Kuang Yuan, and their children to fly from Kunming to Chongqing.
The wife of Shi Fendai had a sad face. The last time she saw her husband was after the third Changsha battle. When the Sino-Japanese Hunan and Hubei sides were a little calm, Yu Chengwan stayed at home in Kunming for more than half a month.Unexpectedly, they haven't met in the past two years. Her husband's forehead and eyes are full of wrinkles, and his beard is unshaven. He seems to be a half-old man in his dying years.She wondered sadly where was the heroic and majestic look of her husband who had taken the rank of major general at the age of 25?Where was her husband's smile of determination and optimism that so often brought her comfort?But she didn't dare to vent her feelings in front of her husband without any omission, she looked at him in disguise, and just called softly: "Shi Jian!"
Behind his wife, next to each other are Yu Chengwan's two sons and one daughter, Qinxian, Qinmin and Wanfang.The tallest of them was almost as tall as the father. "Old Bean!" they shouted in unison.
Yu Jishi made a phone call, and the warden of the prison graciously served a table of sumptuous food and wine in the small restaurant, reuniting Yu Chengwan's family.
During the meal, Kuang Yuan comforted her husband in a low voice and said: "You are on the front line, I worry about you every day, now you are safe, as long as you can come back alive!"
Yu Chengwan drank the wine in the glass, and said emotionally: "Death or life, let fate!"
Hearing what he said, Kuang Yuan's eyes turned red. "When you were fighting in Changde, I read the newspaper every day, and there was news about you and the army every day. Didn't you say that you were a hero after you made military exploits? Why did you become a criminal in prison?" The wife complained softly, "Listen to Commander Wang Said, you should plead to Shangfeng, but you don't plead..."
Yu Chengwan took his wife's shoulders and said in a slow tone: "Xiao Yuan, I will have ten lives in this battle of Changde, and I should have returned to Huangquan. The reason why I should die is that God postponed it." Date. Now it's my turn, just pretend I'm going!"
"Then who will the children and I depend on?" Kuang Yuan finally couldn't help crying.
"You do it yourself, bring up your children, and tell them in the future that your father is not ashamed!" After finishing speaking, Yu Chengwan stood up and left the table alone.
Since then, Yu Chengwan has made up his mind to refuse visits from all relatives, friends, and superiors and subordinates, but waits for his death.
On January 5, the weather was extremely cold.Although Yu Chengwan has enjoyed special treatment and can enjoy the fire without restriction in the room, but when he looks out through the iron window, the gloomy sky is filled with flying snowflakes, and the cold still involuntarily penetrates into the bones.
Suddenly, the warden came to invite him, saying that director Yu Jishi was waiting for him outside to talk.
His blood froze instantly.Why, end your life today?Although he had long regarded death as home, but when the real god of death came, he realized that everyone longed for survival and life from the bottom of their hearts.
He straightened his military uniform, then stiffly and mechanically walked out along the corridor step by step.The corridor is straight, leading to a bright daylight at the end.If you want to die, you have to die with a mighty and unyielding attitude like a man, but now he is chasing after the souls of Han Fuju, Long Muhan, and Liao Lingqi, isn't it an insult to his personality!There is the soul of the Whampoa army who has bent himself!Only then did he feel a little regretful, regretful that he shouldn't have been so stubborn, stubborn, and arrogant back then.But it is too late.
"Ji Shi, give me the last cigarette." Yu Chengwan stretched out his hand to Yu Jishi.
"Haha!" Yu Jishi laughed while wearing a big cloak, his incomplete harelips gleaming, "Brother Shi Jian, I'm here to tell you the good news. Letters and telegrams signed by hundreds of people from all walks of life in Changde asking for your credit have been sent directly to the committee members. Where is the chairman, the chairman has not retreated, it seems that there is less danger than good luck!"
Surprise, what a surprise!Yu Chengwan was dazed, and stood there in a daze, two lines of tears bursting out of his eyes.This is the first time he has shed tears since the Battle of Changde.
The frosty sky was pale, overlooking the snowy country, Yu Chengwan stood for a long time, his eyes blurred with tears, as if he saw and returned to the Changde battlefield thousands of miles away...