The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 502 New Year Greetings!!! (Revised)
On New Year’s Eve, the front-line engineering corps headquarters welcomed a special guest.

On the occasion of the Spring Festival, Liu Zhiye came specially to visit the cadres and soldiers of the 9th Company of the X Division Engineer Corps, which is known as the "Snow Mountain Iron 9th Company".

Liu Zhiye celebrated the New Year with the soldiers.

During the chat, Liu Zhiye asked about the soldiers' living conditions with concern. He asked, "How many times a week can you eat meat?"

Hearing this, the soldiers looked at each other and no one answered for a long time. Why?

In order to welcome Liu Zhiye and the New Year, the soldiers got up early and cleaned the place.

On that day, there was a violent storm at the frontline station in southern Xinjiang.

As soon as the soldiers finished breakfast, they went out to clean up the dead branches and leaves.

They tried their best to leave a good impression on Chief of Staff Liu Zhiye and the leaders from the headquarters.

After everything was cleaned up, the soldiers put on new uniforms.

They stood straight in a row, waiting for the arrival of Liu Zhiye and others with full energy and excitement.

After a while, Liu Zhiye came to the compound with several comrades from the headquarters.

As soon as they saw Liu Zhiye, the soldiers applauded excitedly.

Liu Zhiye had a gentle and kind smile on his face and kept nodding to everyone, creating a joyous atmosphere.

At around ten o'clock in the morning, Liu Zhiye arrived at the company's base by car.

As soon as he got off the car, he heard the soldiers shouting in loud voices: "Hello, Chief of Staff! Hello, Commander!"

Seeing the soldiers' positive and high spirits, Liu Zhiye was very happy. He clapped his hands as he walked, and then said to the soldiers: "Comrades, Happy New Year! You have worked hard!"

Afterwards, the troops arranged a meeting ceremony.

Liu Zhiye and the leading comrades from the headquarters shook hands with the outstanding soldiers and cadres one by one.

The soldiers were very excited to have such close contact with the big leader.

Afterwards, Liu Zhiye and his colleagues attended a symposium for company cadres.

Liu Zhiye sat in the middle of the crowd, holding a teacup in one hand and one hand on his waist, and said to everyone in a relaxed and comfortable manner: "Today is New Year's Eve, I came to see you all, you have worked hard!"

"I've read our materials. This is a company with a glorious history, and the tasks we are responsible for now are also very heavy!"

When the cadres and comrades present heard this, they all said, "This is the trust that the headquarters and the front command have in us. Serving the people is not hard work!"

Liu Zhiye nodded, and then instructed: "The engineering corps is the top priority of our army. We can train more talents and set up a few schools."

After the symposium, Liu Zhiye, led by the company leaders, came to the construction site.

The soldiers on duty who were still working saw Liu Zhiye coming and immediately put down their work and gathered around Liu Zhiye.

This year, Liu Zhiye was in charge of commanding operations on the front line, and he established great prestige among cadres and soldiers at several levels.

The people below actually know Liu Zhiye's ability, otherwise you could try replacing him with a mediocre person!

In the last few days of the year, it has been raining continuously on the front line, and it is cold and damp.

Liu Zhiye patted everyone's shoulders affectionately and asked caringly, "Are you cold? Are you tired from such high-intensity work?"

A young soldier stood up and answered loudly: "The military uniform is very thick and warm. No matter how busy the work is, I won't feel tired!"

Liu Zhiye laughed and continued, "How about life in the company? Is it okay? How many times a week can you eat meat?"

Hearing this, the soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. After a long pause, they said, "We are different from other combat units. We can raise pigs and grow vegetables ourselves, and we can eat meat almost every day."

The soldiers' answers reassured Liu Zhiye. The engineers had a heavy task, and the soldiers had to eat well so they would have the strength to work.

But from the soldiers' perspective, they are unwilling to answer like this.

Because at that time there were still many people in the country who could not get enough food, let alone meat.

Little did they know that Liu Zhiye was full of concern for the grassroots soldiers and wished that everyone could eat meat every day!

After the visit, the soldiers surrounded Liu Zhiye, reluctant to part with him.

He didn't look away until the car Liu Zhiye was riding in drove far out of the company compound.

Later, the New Year spent with Liu Zhiye became the best memory of these soldiers' lives.

Liu Zhiye ignored the dissuasion and risked a visit to the soldiers stationed in the "Cat Ear Cave".

When he arrived at the "Cat Ear Cave" and saw the actual situation there, he was shocked.

"This is not a place for human beings to stay. Grown men can only fight with their butts bare."

Seeing the situation here, Liu Zhiye couldn't help but have tears in his eyes.

It is hard to imagine that a seven-foot-tall man and three or five others were squeezed into a cat hole that was not much bigger than a rat's nest.

I can only lower my head, bend my waist and walk carefully.

Once it is cloudy and rainy, this place becomes a floating "ocean".

The soldiers could only raise their heads as high as possible, holding up the only communication equipment and weapons to avoid being discovered by the enemy.

In the cat ear caves on L Mountain, everyone has an unspoken secret: that is "sunning eggs".

Some people commented that this was impure and not at all "proper".

However, when the soldiers would rather endure the grinding and decay of blood and flesh, would rather be naked, and burn themselves with cigarette butts when they feel uncomfortable, who dares to say that they are "impure"?

Liu Zhiye and his group walked into L Mountain, where there were densely packed natural caves between the mountains of strange shapes.

There are also many newly dug pits around these natural caves.

If you don't look carefully, you might think it was a big bump caused by a gopher.

However, it was precisely because of these large bags that the frontline soldiers of the Xia Army hid here one by one and guarded L Mountain for more than a hundred days and nights.

These pits are also called "cat ear holes", and the warriors guarding the cat ear holes are affectionately called "cat ear cave people".

At the front line of the L Mountain position, there are dozens of cat-ear caves of varying sizes.

No one has counted the exact number of them, but they are the living circles of the frontline fighters.

Especially the dozen or so cat-ear holes of varying sizes near the front line of the enemy's position, one must be extremely cautious.

In the narrow cat-ear cave, basically three soldiers lived together.

When we say "living", we actually just mean bending over or lying down and lurking.

After entering, the soldiers had to keep their heads down and could not stand at all.

This was true even for the shortest soldiers.

Even if you want to rest, you have to bend your arms, legs and curl up your body.

If you encounter 5 soldiers in a cave, don't think that the space inside the cave is very large.

Most people could neither stand up nor lie down, so they could only sit side by side like elementary school students.

It’s okay since it’s winter now, a few people can keep each other warm.

However, if it is in a hot and humid environment with a temperature of over 40 degrees in summer;
The entire cat ear cave is like a sauna, and everyone is sweating profusely just by sitting there.

Not to mention having to be on guard against enemy raids at all times.

Under high temperatures, bacteria can easily grow in the cave.

Many soldiers’ clothes could not be replaced at all, and some were directly stuck to their skin and could not be taken off.

Sometimes, when I was ruthless, I would hear a "swish" sound and a piece of skin along with the clothes would be torn off.

The soldiers could only apply a little medicine symbolically.

The anti-inflammatory drug front is very tense because it takes a long time to deliver supplies at the risk of life.

This situation was not an isolated case. Almost all the soldiers were infected, and some even had ulcers and pus all over their bodies.

Of course, if the injured and infected part occurs in other normal parts, people will think it is nothing.

But the wounds in the private parts are the most painful. I want to speak up but I am too embarrassed to say it, and if I don't speak up, it will itch uncomfortably.

"Rotten crotch" has become a part of life in the cat ear cave.

Almost every soldier in the cat ear cave has to go through this torture of scratching his ears and cheeks and feeling itchy.

First, the crotch became extremely itchy, then it started to ulcerate, and slowly spread to the armpits and feet. In severe cases, the skin of the whole body was infected.

Some soldiers just sat there motionless, and after a while transparent water would flow out from the base of their legs and connect to their crotch.

Some are too shy to wear anything but a pair of shorts.

Despite this, they did not dare to make any big movements, because the entire shorts were like a sharp knife, cutting the soldiers' flesh.

The most luxurious life "experience" near the Cat Ear Cave is "drying eggs".

Once the sun comes out, the soldiers will use this rare treatment method. They will line up naked without any cover and point their crotches towards the sun.

However, just such a simple action made the soldiers very satisfied.

However, not all cat ear cave warriors can enjoy this treatment.

For example, those cat-ear holes marked by enemy artillery and heavy machine guns.

And the frontline fighters who are very close to the enemy's cat ear holes.

They could only stand still and focus their attention on the enemy positions, and were unable to carry out the "egg-sunning" treatment.

Life in the cat-ear cave is dull and tedious. Just a rotten crotch is not enough to describe the misery here.

Once the rainy season comes, the entire cave is almost covered with water.

All floating objects and excrement float up with the rising rain water.

Some even flowed directly into the soldiers' mouths and nasal cavities.

It's that kind of indescribable feeling, and any normal person would feel sick just thinking about it.

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But the soldiers could only hold on.

At this time, the soldiers could only carry the most important equipment and weapons above their heads.

I tilted my head slightly towards the cave entrance. I couldn't turn around in the narrow space, so I could only hold on until the rain stopped.

However, a new problem arose: after the rain water dissipated, some of the cat ear holes collapsed directly and needed to be excavated again.

In some of the caves, rainwater seeped in very slowly, so the soldiers could only carefully place their weapons and communication equipment in a dry place outside the cave.

However, once discovered by the enemy, it is easy to be attacked by the enemy.

At this time, there will always be other soldiers nearby who are always observing the movements of the enemy.

If it rains continuously for more than ten days.

The soldiers were not allowed to leave their posts without receiving orders.

Because the other side was the enemy's position, they couldn't get out of the cave. At this time, everyone seemed to be testing each other's endurance.

Since the Cat Ear Cave is very close to the Vietnamese front line, it is very difficult to transport supplies.

Some soldiers were unable to apply medicine for more than ten days.

The military workers carrying the supplies also had to take great risks and deliver the supplies bit by bit with great difficulty.

Several military workers risked their lives to deliver food and medicine to the cat-ear cave. When they returned to the rear, they could not help but burst into tears:
"They are having a hard time. It's not like they are living a normal life. Let's replace them."

However, Liu Zhiye also knew the hard work of these people.

However, the soldiers had worked so hard to become familiar with the situation around the cat ear cave. If they withdrew rashly, the enemy would easily seize the opportunity and attack in one fell swoop, which would not be worth the loss.

When Liu Zhiye learned about this situation, he felt very upset.

With tears in his eyes, he said to his entourage: "Even if they don't fight in a war, they should have made merit by staying in a cat-ear cave like this for a year. They should be awarded first-class merit!"

The generals and soldiers are of one mind, and no officer does not cherish his own soldiers.

Liu Zhiye did not come here for nothing, and as a commander he could not sit idly by.

Although he could not solve the fundamental problems of the soldiers.

But he would find ways to solve their medical problems and material supplies, and try to make life easier for the soldiers.

He also learned that the most scarce daily necessities on the front line were cigarettes.

This is for a reason.

Although the country has entered the early stage of reform and opening up.

The production and supply of daily necessities are no longer in the starting stage of thirty years ago when everything was in ruins.

However, the various supplies needed on the front line are not easily accessible at any time and anywhere.

Because the front line is located in the mountains, infrastructure such as transportation is not in place, and the complex terrain and weather further increase logistics difficulties.

Secondly, various supplies have different origins, some of which are even located in remote provinces, and coordinated procurement requires a lot of manpower and energy.

Among the various types of military supplies, the soldiers' demand for cigarettes stood out.

According to statistics, the cigarette consumption of various troops is quite astonishing.

Many soldiers are heavy smokers, and it is not uncommon for some of them to smoke two or three packs a day.

Not only was the smell of cigarettes often lingering in the cat ear caves, but many command posts were also often filled with smoke.

The large amount of cigarette consumption poses a big problem to the logistics supply department.

First they have to be purchased, and then they have to be delivered in sufficient quantities and in a timely manner to ensure that the soldiers on the front line do not run out of cigarettes.

Many soldiers also developed a habit of buying cigarettes whenever they had the chance, whether they were at a military station or a canteen.

Liu Zhiye was extremely concerned about this situation. Due to the difficulty in supply, he sought support from the headquarters and local areas.

So, in order to meet the needs ahead.

The sources of these materials are varied, and the main focus is to adapt to the times and local conditions.

Some were purchased by family members in the rear and sent over; some were purchased by the troops and distributed as supplies; and some were specially sent over by local governments, units and individuals who launched condolence activities.

The origins and brands of these materials are even more varied.

Among them, the older and more popular brands are represented by "Dafengshou", which became popular in the 1950s. In addition, brands such as "Ashima", "Baihongmei", "Honghe", "Golden Monkey", "Shilin" and "Chuncheng" are also quite common.

Most people can’t afford to smoke these brands which are more expensive and relatively hard to find.

For example, in the TV series "Blood Romance", Yu Haiyang and others smoke "Zhonghua". It is not uncommon, but it is often seen in the hands of soldiers from big cities with better family conditions.

Geographically speaking, provinces such as Yunnan and Guangxi are closer to the front line and account for a large proportion of Xia State's tobacco production. Therefore, they naturally became the main source of battlefield material supplies.

"Hongtashan" and "Yuxi" from Yunnan Province are both well-known brands on the front line.

In particular, "Hongtashan" has a strong taste and a significant fatigue-relieving effect, and is widely welcomed and sought after by the troops.

The "Honghe" from Honghe is cheaper, has larger quantity and is easier to purchase, and also tastes quite good.

In addition, a popular brand of cigarettes is the "Golden Monkey" produced in Bao County.

If people who smoke this brand for the first time cannot get used to its taste, they will find it very "spicy" and may even experience discomfort such as getting high or feeling dizzy.

However, among all these numerous brands, the most popular one that carries the most emotions and memories is still "Da Chongjiu".

This brand also comes from Yunnan Province. From the perspective of climate and soil, Yunnan Province has unique conditions for growing tobacco.

After the tobacco leaves are harvested, they are often clamped on wooden boards and stored in warehouses for about three to four years. Only then will the odor in the tobacco leaves be naturally removed, and the taste of the cigarettes will be mellower.

Yunnan Province produces high-quality tobacco leaves, and with good management, "Chongjiu" soon became the factory's golden signboard after its launch.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, there was a vigorous movement to boycott Japanese goods.

At that time, domestic brands were regarded as "patriotic cigarettes" and "anti-war cigarettes", and buying and smoking "Chongjiu" became a social trend at that time.

Not only that, they were also used as war supplies to accompany the Yunnan Expeditionary Force; at that time, even the Flying Tigers members from Country M were very fond of this brand.

After the establishment of the New Xia Kingdom, a new trademark was redesigned and the product also had a new name "Da Chongjiu".

When the Chuncheng Factory, which produced "Da Chongjiu", learned that supplies were urgently needed on the front line, it immediately took various measures to improve the supply efficiency of "Da Chongjiu".

First, the factory opened up a special supply channel for the front line, lowered the selling price uniformly, and organized support and consolation groups from time to time.

Thanks to various efforts, more "Da Chongjiu" were sent to the front line.

It was warmly welcomed by the soldiers and left a deep impression on them for many years to come. Some rumors circulating on the front line believed that "Da Chongjiu" was an absolute Grade A product.

The taste and effect of "Da Chongjiu" itself are very satisfactory. Even after smoking the cigarette boxes, the soldiers are often reluctant to throw them away. They often use them as paper to maximize their use value.

A few years later, a report broadcast a letter written by a soldier in the trench. Some sharp-eyed people also found that the letter was not written on special stationery, but a flattened "Da Chongjiu" cigarette box!
This detail is enough to prove the popularity of this brand among warriors at this time.

In addition to supplies, Liu Zhiye also tried his best to arrange for a consolation performance troupe to give consolation performances to the soldiers on the front line.

Artists of this era are also true artists.

In Pianma Mountain, this place is called "The Battle of Shangganling in 80".

You can imagine how difficult and hostile the conditions were.

Originally, the leader of the visiting group did not intend to let singer Li go up the mountain.

But he insisted on going up, and after he went up, the soldiers were very moved.

But as soon as he started singing, the enemy's gunfire rang out.

At this time, the regiment commander wanted to take him down the mountain, but singer Li said, "The soldiers are not afraid, so why should I be afraid..."

Next, amid the enemy's gunfire, he sang seven songs in one breath!
(End of this chapter)