Chapter 18 Chapter VII

On April 17, the two divisions of Sakagaki and Jigu and more than 30,000 people from Liu Guitang's puppet army attacked Taierzhuang again. The fierceness of their offensive was unprecedented.The Japanese land and air forces coordinated operations and captured Sihu Town, northeast of Taierzhuang, and the line north of Xiaoliangbi Lanchengdian in one fell swoop.Yu Xuezhong and Tang Enbo's defense on the front line of our Taierzhuang was weak, and the whole line retreated, and Taierzhuang was in a hurry again.At the same time, the Japanese army launched an all-out attack in southern Shandong, and Xuzhou was in danger.

Li Zongren, the commander-in-chief of the fifth war zone, sent an urgent telegram to Chiang Kai-shek and the command headquarters, instructing the 60th army in Yunnan. Jiang agreed to reassign the 60th army sent to the first war zone in Zhengzhou to Xuzhou.At this time, the 60th Army was already on its way to Zhengzhou. Li Zongren immediately sent a liaison staff officer to Minquan and Lanfeng stations along the way to issue a telegram from the chairman, ordering him to drive straight to Xuzhou, and no one was allowed to get off the bus halfway.On the 21st, Lu Han, the commander of the 60th Army, arrived in Xu and met Li Zongren. Li transferred the 60th Army to the command of Sun Lianzhong, the commander-in-chief of the Second Army, and assembled on the east line of Taierzhuang.Due to the retreat of Tang's army, the 60th Army had never launched a battle, and encountered the intruding enemy unexpectedly, and a bloody battle began immediately...

During this period, Zhang Daren and Hoffman went to Xuzhou City in person to meet with relevant officials and explain the reason for hanging the flag. They were approved and obtained a paper of approval, and the matter of hanging the flag was resolved.In Hankou, due to the effective activities of the vice chairman Ji Xiangnan, the relocation supervision committee agreed to be managed by Germans during the war, and the explosion order was cancelled. Tian Guiyang's 31-member explosion team withdrew from the mining area.However, the relocation committee still has room for it, saying: If the situation deteriorates, the Germans cannot manage it, and they must be blown up...

On April 26th, the Japanese armed forces occupied the Liujiawa Coal Mine, announcing that the "Chinese anti-British" incident occurred in Liujiawa, and the Japanese army was "forced" to take over the Drocker Company in order to avoid bloody tragedies... Time to go, time to part with this troubled land for a while.Although there is a piece of soil under each person's feet and a piece of sky above each person's head, the sky above the head of the soil under the feet cannot be taken away after all.Then leave them all, and say silently: Goodbye! See you soon!Will do!The guns of the invaders can destroy a coal mining company, but they cannot destroy an ancient land; the long history has proved the charm and power of this land, it can defeat all foreign forces, but it will not be overwhelmed by any foreign forces. win.It treats the arrogant clamor with stern silence, guards her children with a barren and generous chest, and buries everything she doesn't like.Zhang Daren firmly believes that his career will be rebuilt on this fertile land. His vitality is not exhausted, and his good time on this land is not over yet...

Zhang Daren was shocked by the Japanese army's takeover of the Drocker Company!Feel angry!Such a despicable practice is unprecedented!As a result, Zhang Daren's pitiful illusions about Japan were all shattered, and he was determined not to have any dealings with the Japanese—conscience, morality, and national pride would not allow him to have any dealings with the Japanese. He decided to retreat to Hankou, even if Xiyan Mining was destroyed, he could not betray his own nation.Property damage may still be restored, but reputation loss cannot be recovered. It was very painful for Zhang Daren to make this decision.He didn't intend to leave, but wanted to live and die with Xiyan Mining Industry—how many factories and mines have been abandoned by Chinese industrialists since the Anti-Japanese War?No one has dedicated his life to the industry or to the national calamity.He would like to be the first person.However, Zhao Minquan disagreed with him and tried hard to persuade him.

Zhao Minquan has his reasons.First, Chinese companies are different from other bureaucratic enterprises of party dignitaries. The government authorities have clearly ordered them to retreat and blow them up. For crimes, if you don't belong to the enemy, people will also say that you belong to the enemy.Second, the company has been taken over by the German creditors' rights group, if it does not leave, it will aggravate the suspicion of the outside world and the Japanese side.Thirdly, the war will not last forever. If you leave Hankou, resettle the existing industries in the rear, accumulate strength, and hope to make a comeback as soon as possible.

After thinking about it, Zhang Daren felt that what Zhao Minquan said was reasonable, so he stopped insisting.In fact, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, why should he go on a dead end?In a sense, he was also making a gesture to let Zhao Minquan understand the weight of the company in his mind. Now, his feet are still firmly on this land, his figure is still firmly stuck to this land by the evening sun, and his lungs are still breathing the characteristic floating coal dust on this land Dry air with smog.With Zhao Minquan at his side, and behind him the majestic gangue hill of Xiyan Mine and the majestic derrick made of steel, he walked on the smooth cement road paved by the company, silently saying goodbye to everything.

The sky wheel on the derrick stopped turning,—the lamp of life in the mine went out; the booming winch of the steam room died away,—the great breathing of the mine stopped.The machine repair workshop has long been closed, the train full of coal rumbled by every day has disappeared, and two dilapidated company-owned wagons are left alone on the parking line.The mine was suffocated, and looking down from a high place, it looked like the remains of a giant.This giant was killed by war. There were not many people in sight, and the Xiyan Mine, where the company was located for a while, was unbearably empty.The water in the moat was flowing silently, the suspension bridges on the river were all raised high, and the communication between the company and the town was almost cut off.To prevent accidents, a small suspension bridge was newly built next to the large suspension bridge at the gate, which can only allow one person to pass alone. The small suspension bridge is also suspended in the air in the evening.There is enough food. If one day this place becomes an isolated island, the left-behind people can still persist for half a year or a year.The mine wall stands faithfully and reliably on this piece of black soil paved with coal gangue. It is undoubtedly strong for the rioting villagers and the bandits and thieves fleeing from the south of Shandong. But for the Japanese aircraft and artillery, its solidity It is quite doubtful.

The German swastika flag is flying around, and there is also a side on the derrick of the two large coal wells. According to Hoffman’s arrangement, a huge swastika pattern has been set up with a diesel brazier on the square at the entrance of the company building. The brazier was lit, and half of the mining area was lit up red.Japanese planes flew over Xiyan several times and blew up many houses and houses, killing or injuring more than a dozen people, except that they did not drop bombs inside the walls of Xiyan Hetiantun Mine. The German flag and the swastika pattern It has played a practical protective role, and in a sense it is better than mine walls, mine moats, and even Chairman Jiang's hundreds of thousands of troops.

Zhang Daren walked with heavy steps slowly.He watched helplessly as the setting sun sank into the distant horizon little by little, and watched the orange ball being wrapped in the veil of night that came quietly.A weird thought suddenly popped up in his mind: Will the setting sun break free from the entanglement of the night and jump out miraculously?The days are too short, after all! The fire was started again in front of the company building, starting from the center of the swastika, and after a while, the entire huge swastika radiated blazing yellow and dazzling light.I don't know if there will be an air raid tonight. If the Japanese planes don't come, the precious diesel will be wasted.

Zhang Daren sighed a long time, brushed back a bunch of messy hair on his forehead with his hands, and said to Zhao Minquan with sentimentality: "Brother Minquan, I'm afraid I won't be able to return to Hankou this time. Everything about the company is up to you! In the future, the future is unpredictable and the situation is dangerous. I hope you will take care of yourself, brother!" Minquan said: "Da Weng, it's not a day or two for my brother to work with you. I also deeply feel the difficulty of starting a company. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, brother will make every effort!" Zhang Daren smiled wryly: "I'm afraid it's also difficult. De Rocker's company belongs to the British industry, and the Japanese will not let it go. I'm afraid it will be even more difficult for my Chinese company to maintain!" "Not necessarily," Minquan thought for a while, "The British supported China's war of resistance. Britain and Japan have been dirty for a long time, while Germany is pro-Japanese. Japan and Germany signed an anti-communist and anti-communist agreement. In fact, this The agreement is an alliance treaty. The relationship between the two countries is extraordinary. The Japanese army will never attack the German industry rashly. I am worried about Liu Renjie. If this person falls into the arms of the Japanese and betrays the company, the situation will be out of hand gone." Zhang Daren said with confidence: "There's no need to worry about that. I, Zhang, am worthy of him. Forgive him for not knowing, and not daring to go this far!" Minquan stubbornly asked: "What if this step occurs? What if the Japanese see a flaw and prepare to occupy it with arms?" Zhang Daren said viciously: "Then carry out an explosion! Blow up the coal shafts and ground facilities mainly used for production in Xiyan and Tiantun! There are still more than 40 tons of mining explosives in the Xiyan and Tiantun mines? It is enough to turn this place into a Into ruins!" "There are not more than 40 tons of explosives. Zhang Xiuqing's guerrillas took some earth-made bombs. You know this! Our company's explosives were used to blow up the Japanese gasoline depot. However, to blow up production wells and main facilities, Still more than enough!" Zhang Daren nodded: "We need to maintain the relationship with Zhang Xiuqing. If we really go to the stage of mine explosion, we have to ask his guerrillas to cooperate. Our mine police team is unreliable. The team leader Gong Yi is ready to run away. The company issued a With double salary, I managed to keep him." Zhang Daren stopped in his tracks, turned sideways to face Zhao Minquan, let the evening wind blow his face, his eyes radiated a strange and fierce luster, he gritted his teeth and said: "Until the last moment, we can't explode mines! We don't know whether to win or lose, we can't go to the casino, and only I, Zhang, can give the order to explode mines, and no one else can! Even Chairman Jiang can't do it! After I arrived in Hankou, I used the radio and You contact, the situation of the company, you should always report to me personally!" Patting Zhao Minquan on the shoulder, Zhang Daren's gaze became softer, and his tone became more tactful: "Brother Minquan, it's not that I can't trust you. In a critical moment, you can stand up, which shows your loyalty and righteousness. What can I say? From this month, the company will give you double salary. One is received by the company, and the other is deposited in Hankou Bank for you on a monthly basis. I will send someone to take care of your family members in Hankou, so don’t worry!" Minquan was quite moved and said sincerely: "It's hard for Da Weng to think so thoughtfully! In this way, Minquan will have nothing to worry about even if he sleeps forever in the Nine Springs!" The sky gradually darkened, and the night covered everything in the world. The stars appeared in the vast sky, like pairs of melancholy eyes, gazing at the suffering earth.A round of thin moon and light wind generally floated out from behind the lead-black gangue hill, like a rootless duckweed, swaying, as if about to fall from the sky. "Da Weng, go back, it's getting late!" Zhang Daren didn't answer, he was concentrating on the sky, full of thoughts: "A round of bright moon shines from ancient times to today, how many secrets of the world have been glimpsed, and how many dynasties have been witnessed?!" Zhang Daren couldn't help chanting Li Houzhu's words: Zhang Daren shook his head, his eyes were moist. "I can't bear to look back!" Minquan advised: "After all, Empress Li is the king of subjugation, and there is no hope of restoring the country. That's why Da Weng doesn't have to worry about himself. Even if we lose the coal mining company, we still have the industry in Hankou. Besides, considering its own interests, the government can't tolerate the future. Kou is so rampant, we must do everything possible to regain the lost ground!" "I hope so! I hope!" "Go back, Da Weng, you will be leaving early tomorrow morning!" "Ok!" The two walked back silently, the surroundings became more and more silent against the sound of footsteps, and the dim light on the side of the road made their figures distorted.Xiyan Town has implemented a blackout, and at night, it is already dark. Only the company's mine wall is protected by the swastika pattern, and there is still a little bit of light... Not long after entering the company building, the whistle of the boiler room on the east side of the mine moat sounded.For a moment, two Japanese planes flew over the dark blue sky.The plane didn't seem to have made a special trip to visit Xiyan Town. It neither swooped down and strafed nor dropped bombs on the ground. It flew quite high and made very little noise as it passed the sky, like two benevolent mosquitoes humming weakly. All signs indicate that the national army cannot defend Xuzhou, and the fall of the Xiyan mining area is imminent.