Chapter 9: Crossing the River, Crossing the River

He was clearly trying to curry favor with Wen Song, who seemed to hold a position of some importance within the army.

"No, thank you. I'm exhausted, and those Red bandits haven't been wiped out yet. If we get drunk and delay military operations, we’d be facing a firing squad."

After saying this, Wen Song looked back at his soldiers.

"My brothers have been marching for a day and a night; they need a good rest. Brother Lei, is there any room for us here?"

Upon hearing this, Lei Baojun gave a soft cough and said, "Well... military orders are like mountains. It’s said that no outsiders are allowed into the ferry landing unless there’s an order from the high command..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt two heavy objects being pressed into his hand.

"Brother Lei, my men are worn out. They just want a comfortable place to get some sleep. Please, do us a favor."

Lei Baojun weighed the two large gold bars in his hand, a smile spreading across his face.

"Oh, come now, we're all brothers; why stand on ceremony? Even if I have to defy orders, I’ll make sure you get a good night's sleep, Brother Wen."

Watching from the side, Long Wencheng thought to himself that gold was indeed effective. No matter how much camaraderie was feigned at the start, it eventually came down to paving the way with gold.

The entire unit entered the ferry landing smoothly. They were all wearing Guangxi Army uniforms. As for Lei Baojun, Wen Song pulled him aside to chat. Long Wencheng was initially worried that Wen Song might be trying to pass on some secret message, but he soon realized he had overthought it; Wen Song was simply keeping Lei Baojun occupied to prevent him from noticing any flaws in their disguise.

Once the troops were inside, Wen Song shared a few more words with Lei Baojun before cupping his hands in a salute and taking his leave.

Their unit was assigned to a block within the ferry area. The local civilians had long since fled, and in truth, many of the houses had been destroyed by shelling. Fortunately, there were still enough structures left standing to provide shelter from the wind and rain, which was far better than sleeping out in the open.

Once inside the house, Long Wencheng looked at Wen Song and said, "Colonel Wen, well done."

Wen Song smiled and replied, "We were lucky. He recognized me; otherwise, even with money, we might not have gotten in."

Long Wencheng then voiced his curiosity. "Colonel Wen, I noticed that Lei Baojun seemed quite eager to please you. Why is that?"

Knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, Wen Song revealed his background. "My father is a wealthy merchant in Guilin. Commander-in-Chief Li’s military supplies and equipment are mostly bought from overseas through my father's connections. Otherwise, how could I have become a regiment commander for a front-line unit at such a young age, or even managed to procure artillery?"

Long Wencheng realized then that Wen Song was indeed young, perhaps only twenty-four or twenty-five.

"Why are you willing to help us?" Long Wencheng asked again. "It can't just be because I held a gun to your back. You had many chances to tip off that battalion commander."

Wen Song sighed and looked up at the ceiling, where the roof had been blown away, revealing a sky full of stars. "I had heard of you before, though I’d never met you. Now that I have, I find you are much like a certain group of people."

As he spoke, his eyes shimmered.

"Like whom?"

"The Northern Expeditionary Army," Wen Song said. "You are truly similar. Back then, the Northern Expeditionary soldiers weren't afraid of death because they held a firm faith. You, too, have that faith."

"But those people betrayed Sun Yat-sen's vision," Long Wencheng said, each word deliberate. "Otherwise, China would have been unified long ago, and we wouldn't have had the subsequent warlord infighting and the suffering of the people."

Wen Song remained silent for a long moment before saying softly, "That’s true. They betrayed the revolution, and so did I. How I wish I were still that young soldier, full of ideals, who was among the first to reach the walls of Wuchang."

Long Wencheng looked at Wen Song and saw the light reflecting in his dark, bright pupils. This man was about his own age—a fine young man of China. Had he not been captured, perhaps in a few years, once the War of Resistance broke out, he would have led his Guangxi soldiers to fight the Japanese on the front lines in Shanghai, and in all likelihood, he would have died there.

"Among the first to reach the walls of Wuchang? Were you in the Independent Regiment?"

"I was once." Wen Song sighed.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside—it was Qi Delong and Yang Gang.

"Colonel, we’ve scouted the area. There are plenty of ferries to get all our men across the river. There are only five guards stationed there."

"Start the operation at midnight," Long Wencheng said firmly.

"Understood!" They replied in unison and stepped out.

By midnight, the soldiers of the 18th Regiment began to move in silence. Yang Gang and his commando team reached the ferry landing ahead of time and silently eliminated the five guards. The others began to board the boats without a sound.

Over twenty boats were soon packed with men and pack animals. Long Wencheng’s boat was at the lead, with the 37mm anti-tank gun mounted at the bow.

Just as everyone was aboard and ready to withdraw, a burst of gunfire erupted. It was the roar of submachine guns.

Long Wencheng was taken aback. He wondered if another Red Army unit was also attempting to cross the river and had launched a surprise attack on the Fenghuizui ferry.

"Colonel, are we still going?" asked First Battalion Commander Qi Delong.

Long Wencheng thought for a moment. "You go ahead. Once you reach the opposite bank, establish a landing perimeter immediately and hold off any enemy forces. Second Battalion Commander, take the commandos and stay with me; we’ll go see what’s happening."

After saying this, he seemed to remember something and ordered the commandos to strip off their Guangxi Army uniforms. If they ran into friendly forces and were mistaken for Nationalist troops, it would lead to unnecessary casualties.

Outside, the gunfire became more intense. Lei Baojun was defending his position, drenched in sweat. "Damn it, why are there so many Red Army troops trying to cross the river right now?" he cursed while ducking his head.

"Battalion Commander, don't worry! These Reds are at the end of their rope; they won't be able to break our position," his adjutant shouted.

His assessment was sound. The Red Army's fire across the river was sporadic, clearly indicating a lack of ammunition. They only needed to hold their ground; other Nationalist units along the river would surely arrive to reinforce them once they heard the fighting.

"I know that, damn it! Do you think I need you to tell me? Right, go find Colonel Wen and have him bring his men to support us. They have hundreds of troops and good equipment. With their help, I wouldn't fear no matter how many of those bastards come," Lei Baojun snapped.

"Yes, sir! I'm going now!" The adjutant turned and ran toward the block where the others were stationed.

But just as he reached the area, he saw Wen Song, Long Wencheng, and a group of men charging toward him.

"Colonel Wen, hurry! The Red bandits' assault is fierce, come and support us—"

Before the adjutant could finish, a bullet whistled through the air and pierced his skull.