1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 267 Condolence Interview
evening.

The top floor of the Southern Xinjiang Military Region office building.

In front of an office door, two armed guards were guarding it.

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps at the stairs in the corridor, and the guards subconsciously became alert.

I saw four or five leaders dressed in neat military uniforms, with gold stars on their shoulders and a dignified and heavy aura, walking up to me with their hands behind their backs and steady steps.

"Hello, Chief!"

The two guards stood at attention and saluted, to which the leading leader simply nodded slightly.

The guard quickly opened the door.

With a click, everyone entered the office and turned on the lights.

The green glass chandelier flickered twice, and the tungsten filament was turned on to emit a clear yellow light, illuminating the crowded office in front of him.

The office in front of me is very large, about 60 to 70 square meters, and is divided into several areas by wooden partitions.

When you enter the room, the first thing that catches your eye is the huge map hanging on the wall in front of you.

Black ink outlines the winding, undulating, complex and ever-changing border lines and terrain maps. Many important places are also outlined with many red and blue arrows and various information signs, making it look like an extremely detailed combat map.

A mahogany desk, an iron shelf filled with documents, a green communication machine flashing red, and the sharp beeping sound of the telegraph still echoing in the room...

This is the General Staff Headquarters of the Southern Xinjiang Military Region.

As the wartime brain of the army, the General Staff will work non-stop as long as the war starts.

From receiving intelligence from various subordinate units, to determining enemy movements, to formulating combat plans and other important tasks, these are all one of the functions of the General Staff.

It was nearly half past seven.

The night enveloped the entire military region, and the setting sun was dim beside the mountain, but the office desks were still full.

The clerk who was constantly communicating on the phone, the telegraph operator who was sending telegrams with monitoring headphones on, the clerk who was standing in front of the bookshelf looking for information, and so on were all busy.

The entire office was packed with these people and things, and was filled with a serious and solemn atmosphere.

A young clerk, perhaps a little tired from work, subconsciously stretched and moved her neck, letting out a lazy moan from her throat. Just as she turned her neck, she suddenly caught a glimpse of the shadow on the ground. Looking more closely, she saw several leaders standing not far behind her.

She happened to meet the gaze of the leaders, especially the one in the lead, she was startled and almost scared.

"Hello, Chief!"

The young female clerk quickly called out respectfully.

"It's okay. Young people should take care of their health even if they are busy with work. Where is your Chief of Staff Xu?"

The leader, a man in his fifties, waved his hand kindly and asked.

If Cheng Kaiyan were here, he would be able to recognize that this was the senior military commander whom he and Ning Qiuyue had met before. His rank was incredibly high.

"Chief of Staff Xu has gone to eat."

The female secretary breathed a sigh of relief and quickly explained, then she remembered something.

Twenty minutes ago, the Laoshan front joint command sent an urgent telegram. After reading it, Chief of Staff Xu immediately sent someone to notify the leader.

The staff members in the General Staff were also very curious about what was mentioned in the telegram that made the Chief of Staff so serious.

The female officer then boldly asked, "Commander! Are you asking about the urgent top-secret telegram that just came from the Laoshan front?"

The leader nodded and said, "Young comrade, go get it."

After a while, the female secretary went to get the telegram.

Chief of Staff Xu, who was having lunch, also came back.

They took the telegram to the chief of staff's office, sat on the sofa and read it:

[Top Secret/Express]

To the Command:

——第13合成旅143团前线联合指挥部，1980年9月12日。

Our troops ended the battle at the Huishui River at 5:13 this morning. The results are as follows:
Our army dispatched 5,000 soldiers and wiped out more than 6,000 enemy troops!

A colonel-rank commander and more than 900 officers and soldiers of the enemy were captured.

Hundreds of artillery pieces fired at the same time, severely crushing the enemy's arrogance.

Our troops have advanced dozens of miles and occupied most of the Laoshan area. We are currently confronting the enemy across the Laoshan Mountain...

……

"Great, great! It really lived up to everyone's expectations! The commander of the 13th Combined Brigade must be a soldier under Yang Dezhi's command, right? What a great salvo of artillery fire!"

After the chief read the entire battle report, even though he was in such a high position and power, he couldn't help but blush when he saw such a brilliant victory, and he clapped and laughed in surprise.

This time they actually captured an enemy colonel alive!
You have to know that one step up is Shao Jiang.

"He is indeed Commander Yang's soldier. He and I were classmates when we were studying at the Nanjing Military Academy.

This guy's favorite thing is to coordinate artillery and infantry. He is good at firing hundreds of artillery and washing the ground with artillery fire. The main force of this attack, the 143rd Regiment, is the ace unit of the 13th Brigade. "

Upon hearing this, Ye Yongsheng explained with a smile.

"I see!"

Everyone nodded repeatedly, their faces full of joy.

The Laoshan area was already conquered by our army when the war officially broke out last year.

But after our army achieved some interim results and withdrew, the Vietnamese army stuck to us like a dog-skin plaster, stockpiled heavy troops near Laoshan and was ready to make a move. They also threatened to defeat our army and force it to flee in panic, and to recapture Laoshan without any effort. What a powerful Vietnamese army!
It can be said that in this battle in which both sides deployed tens of thousands of troops, our side won a great victory, dealt a heavy blow to the arrogance of the Vietnamese army, and also gave us a great vent to our anger!

The commander flipped through the battle report and asked, "How many casualties did the 143th and th companies of the rd Regiment suffer when they were surrounded?"

The beginning of this major battle was due to the two companies being surrounded by the enemy and deep in the encirclement.

"Ugh……"

Chief of Staff Xu shook his head slowly and said in a deep voice, "The casualties were heavy. It is said that by the time reinforcements arrived, there were only about fifty people left in the two companies! You have to know that they held out for two whole days against enemies that were almost ten times their number in both directions."

"With such a strong military spirit, how can we not win! Next, we will provide compensation for the casualties of the soldiers, and hold a commendation ceremony in a few days..."

The chief nodded with a heavy heart, then arranged the next things, and everyone hurriedly took note.

After talking for a while, the leader suddenly remembered something: "How is Comrade Cheng Kaiyan, the deputy leader of the field research team, doing now? I heard that he was also surrounded along with the 8th and 9th companies?"

By the way, he had met Cheng Kaiyan once. He was a very nice young man and had worked in the Southern Xinjiang Military Region.

Everyone was a little surprised, as if they didn't expect this person to mention him.

Chief of Staff Xu smiled and said, "Don't worry, Commander. Comrade Cheng Kaiyan retreated back not long after he sent back the intelligence.

According to Team Leader Ning, Cheng Kaiyan encountered an enemy reconnaissance squad during the retreat and was seriously injured. He is now hospitalized in the provincial hospital.

What is even more surprising is that he single-handedly wiped out six enemy soldiers in the deep mountains and forests with only one wounded soldier. He is a veteran with rich experience!"

Chief of Staff Xu knew the details. The wounded man was from the Ning family in Beijing. However, her unauthorized actions inevitably violated taboos, so she took the initiative to hide it.

"Sure enough, a hero comes from a boy!"

"No wonder this young comrade is the deputy team leader at such a young age."

Everyone sighed with emotion.

Coincidentally, the key figure in this great victory was Comrade Cheng Kaiyan.

If he and the writers in the field research team had not discovered the enemy situation and reported it in time, the outcome of this battle would have been unpredictable.

Moreover, this Cheng Kaiyan is no simple person. He actually returned to the company base alone to report the enemy situation. He was even more quick-witted and chose to blow up the iron chain bridge over Huishui River, blocking the enemy's march and forcing the enemy to take a detour.

This bought enough time for our army to mobilize troops and march.

If he hadn't turned back in time, the two surrounded companies would have been wiped out. And this battle would not have had such a brilliant outcome.

"This young man has made great contributions. A cultural and artistic worker is not inferior to our elite soldiers on the battlefield. Let him attend the commendation meeting in a while."

The chief was also somewhat surprised. He had not seen many such outstanding young people. He thought for a moment and then ordered, "Well...you can make arrangements to go to the provincial hospital tomorrow to express your condolences."

"You're going there in person?"

Everyone was shocked and looked at the leader.

Ye Yongsheng, who was standing by, was filled with anger. He had thought that the chief might look upon Cheng Kaiyan with a higher regard, but he had not expected that he would take him seriously to such an extent that he would go to the hospital in person to visit and comfort him.

It's really shocking!

At this time, the leader smiled and nodded, "Speaking of which, I have a connection with this Deputy Team Leader Cheng."

When everyone heard this, they immediately understood.

Comrade Cheng Kaiyan is no ordinary literary and artistic worker. He is the deputy leader of the field research team sent by the General Political Department.

Even if it is temporary, the level is still very high.

What's more, Comrade Cheng Kaiyan is a well-known writer and a great talent.

Such an outstanding literary and artistic worker made great contributions on the battlefield and even became a combat hero.

Definitely big news.

In addition, it also has considerable political significance for the troops.

Ye Yongsheng pondered for a long time, and then suggested: "Then let's bring the reporters along."

"Xiao Ye, if you have an idea, I'll do it your way."

……

The next morning.

The heavy iron gates and checkpoints of the Southern Xinjiang Military Region slowly opened.

A military vehicle carrying several people set off in the morning dew and light.

After driving along the mountain road for more than an hour, we finally arrived at the provincial hospital at nine o'clock.

"boom!"

The door of the military vehicle closed, and several middle-aged men in plain clothes with dignified temperament got out.

At the same time, there was a young man wearing glasses with a camera hanging on his chest following behind him, and he was obviously a reporter.

As the group walked into the hospital lobby, they immediately attracted the attention of many patients and nurses.

Ye Yongsheng, who was wearing a plaid shirt, found a free nurse and asked, "Little comrade, is there a patient named Cheng Kaiyan in your hospital?"

"Yes, there is one. It is said that Comrade Cheng Kaiyan is a hero who made great contributions on the front line. Are you here to interview him? I will take you there right away."

The young nurse looked at the young man with a camera hanging on his chest and asked curiously.

"That's it."

Ye Yongsheng smiled and said, in fact, it’s almost the same.

A group of people arrived at the door of the ward.

At this time, the door is open to allow ventilation.

The chief saw the young man leaning against the bed and writing in the ward, and he smiled and shouted, "Deputy Team Leader Cheng! Do you still remember me?"

"Commander? Why are you here?"

When Cheng Kaiyan raised her eyes, a somewhat familiar face appeared in front of her, and her heart was shocked.

Why is this person here?

"I heard that you, Comrade Xiao Cheng, were seriously injured, so I came to see you. After all, you are the key figure in our victory in this battle. It is no exaggeration to say that you are a hero."

The leader was very kind. He walked in directly, sat beside the bed, and spoke with a smile.

"A great victory on the front line? That's cause for celebration."

Cheng Kaiyan understood and said calmly: "I am not a hero. I have only made a small contribution. Compared with the soldiers fighting on the front line, it is nothing."

He wanted to ask how the soldiers from the 8th and 9th companies who had fought side by side with him were doing, and how the deputy battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, Hong Jianguo, was doing.

but……

In the end, I didn't ask. The answer is in my heart, so it's better not to ask.

When the leader saw that Cheng Kaiyan looked calm but a little sad, he knew what he was thinking.

I nodded secretly in my heart, thinking that this trip was the right one.

He smiled, took a box from Ye Yongsheng and put it on the table, then patted Cheng Kaiyan's hand and said softly:
"I feel relieved to see that you are okay, Comrade Xiao Cheng. Here are some supplements. Take good care of your injuries. You will be a great contributor in the commendation ceremony in a few days."

"Thank you for your concern, Commander."

Cheng Kaiyan took a look and found that it was milk powder, and she was touched.

This guy is the leader, and he came to see him in person and gave him some supplements.

This level of treatment, even if it has other purposes, is important enough.

But this is a commendation meeting, is this to commend him?

Seeing Cheng Kaiyan's puzzled look, Ye Yongsheng explained: "Although you are not from the army, we comrades who have made outstanding contributions are also generous with their credit and rewards."

"That's it."

Cheng Kaiyan was neither expecting nor excited, her heart was just calm.

The living people got the credit, but what about the people who sacrificed?
The chief could probably see what Cheng Kaiyan was thinking, so he patted his hand and said, "Comrade Cheng, take good care of yourself. We won't bother you anymore."

"By the way, this reporter from the People's Liberation Army Daily came here specially to interview you. If you have the energy, you can talk to him about your field trip experience."

Cheng Kaiyan looked up and scanned the room, and found a young man wearing glasses and a camera hanging on his chest.

Seeing Cheng Kaiyan looking at him, the young man smiled and said, "Comrade Cheng Kaiyan, I am Xu Xu, a war correspondent for the People's Liberation Army Daily. I was doing reporting work at the front line before. I heard your story in the military region and wanted to come and interview you on purpose."

"Reporter Xu, let's hurry up."

Cheng Kaiyan did not refuse.

Soon the group left, leaving only the reporter and Cheng Kaiyan in the room.

The two sat and chatted. Although reporter Xu was thin, he was very talkative.

Soon he became closer to Cheng Kaiyan.

Cheng Kaiyan said as she recalled.

Reporter Xu quickly took notes in his notebook, and finally the interview ended half an hour later.

"Thank you, Comrade Kaiyan. You are indeed a kind and righteous hero."

Reporter Xu took a deep breath and looked at the plain words in his notes, but he felt as if they were oozing with blood and war.

What a danger, what a spirit, what a friendship.

He returned alone, blew up the chain bridge, and rushed hundreds of miles of mountain roads just to save his family.

Such people are worthy of admiration.

Reporter Xu bowed deeply and said, "Comrade Kaiyan, please take a rest first. I will not disturb you. You can see this interview in the newspaper in two weeks at the latest."

(End of this chapter)