Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

Li Yunlong was drinking tea when he heard Zhao Gang call his name. He put down the teacup and said, "What did I do now? My thesis didn't cause any trouble."

Zhao Gang looked at him, his tone unhurried but serious: "Your thesis isn't a big problem, but your personality is more troublesome than writing a thesis. Back when we were fighting, if you got into trouble, the old brigade commander, division commander, and political commissar would cover for you. At that time, the troops fought independently, and each unit handled its own affairs. The old leaders could suppress the matter with just a word."

"But things are different now. Now the Central Military Commission is in charge of unified management, emphasizing laws and systems, and a balance in all aspects. With your temper, if you were working in Beijing, you would have gotten into trouble sooner or later. You might not even be able to hold onto your position as army commander for long."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong, unusually, didn't jump up and refute him on the spot. He remained silent for a few seconds, then waved his hand: "Alright, alright, my dear political commissar, we finally get to see each other, so don't lecture me. I'm here to drink, not to listen to your reasoning."

Everyone laughed.

Liu Yuheng smiled too, but looking at Li Yunlong, his tone became more serious: "Old Li, to be honest, what I just said to Old Ding was also for you. Think about it, go to the Northwest or Southwest border. The environment there is harsh, but it's more suitable for you. With your temper, you'll suffer sooner or later in your current unit. Going to the border, far from the emperor's reach, you can actually work more freely."

Li Yunlong picked up his teacup and took another sip. After a few seconds of silence, he didn't choke immediately, but instead nodded, his tone unusually serious: "I will seriously consider it."

Just then, Yao Qingwan poked her head out from the kitchen doorway and called out to the living room, "The food is ready. Would you like to eat now, or chat a little longer?"

Liu Yuheng stood up and waved to everyone: "Alright, alright, let's eat and chat. Come on, take your seats."

The group got up and moved to the dining room. Several dishes were already laid out on the table, with cold and hot dishes crammed together, and a large pot of steaming stewed fish in the middle, which looked very appetizing.

Liu Yuheng gestured for everyone to sit down, then pointed to He Yuzhu and introduced him to the crowd: "This is Chef He Yuzhu, the cook in the courtyard where my parents live. Don't let his young age fool you, his skills are exceptional. Today's dishes are all thanks to him."

Kong Jie, sitting near the edge, glanced at He Yuzhu upon hearing this, then looked at his face, which clearly appeared older than his actual age, and asked with a smile, "How old are you, Master He?"

He Yuzhu was placing a plate of cold dishes on the table when he was asked this question. He paused for a moment, then scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, glanced at Liu Yuheng, and said, "I'm twenty."

Upon hearing this, Kong Jie's smile deepened. He turned to look at Li Yunlong, then at He Yuzhu, and clicked his tongue twice, deliberately drawing out the words, "This young man looks just like Li Da Nao. What's that phrase again? Mature beyond his years! Just like that!"

Li Yunlong was pouring wine when he heard this. The bottle paused in mid-air, then he glared at Kong Jie and said, "Get lost! When I was young, I was a handsome young man for miles around. Don't try to put me down!"

Everyone laughed. He Yuzhu, standing to the side, grinned but didn't dare laugh out loud. After quickly serving all the dishes, he took off his apron, wiped his hands, and said to Liu Yuheng and Yao Qingwan, "Brother Liu, sister-in-law, all the dishes are served, so I'll head back now."

Liu Yuheng stood up and gestured to Yao Qingwan.

Yao Qingwan understood, took out a small cloth bag she had prepared beforehand from the cabinet next to her, which contained some money and tickets, as well as a bottle of wine, and walked up to He Yuzhu and handed it to him: "Master He, take this. Thank you for your hard work today."

He Yuzhu quickly waved his hand to decline, saying, "Sister-in-law, please don't be so polite. It's just a favor, how could I accept money..."

Yao Qingwan stuffed the cloth bag into his hands, her tone gentle but firm: "You've been busy all afternoon, this is what you should do. Take it, don't refuse."

He Yuzhu was about to decline when Liu Yuheng spoke up, "Zhuzi, take it. The dishes you made today are excellent; I can smell the aroma. Don't be shy, I'll have the driver take you home; it's getting dark and the roads are difficult to navigate."

He Yuzhu then took the cloth bag, thanked him, and turned to follow the driver out the door.

After a few rounds of drinks, Li Yunlong put his glass down on the table, looked at Liu Yuheng with a complicated expression, and said with a hint of sourness, "You actually managed to get two stars. Damn it, I've fought so many battles, risked my life for over a decade, and in the end I only got one star. Where can I complain?"

Ding Wei, standing beside him with his wine glass in hand, nodded, his tone carrying the same resentment and helplessness: "Exactly. Those who were promoted to corps commander at the same time as me back then, all of them have at least two stars this time. And me? One. Who can I complain to?"

Liu Yuheng picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, chewed it, and slowly put down his chopsticks. He looked at the two men and said, "I heard that, Lao Ding, you have enough merits this time, but you've also caused a lot of trouble. So the higher-ups have been deliberating on your rank for a long time, and finally decided on one star. As for Lao Li—"

He turned to Li Yunlong, deliberately drawing out his words: "You should be content with just one star this time. Think about it, you've been hospitalized since the end of 1948, and you missed so many battles afterward, including the founding war. If it weren't for your many merits and seniority when fighting the Japanese, you might not even have gotten a general's star this time."

Li Yunlong's face darkened instantly, and he slammed his wine glass on the table: "Bullshit! Back when I was fighting the Japanese in Shanxi, I was always at the forefront! My name is written all over the merit list, how come I didn't become a general?"

Kong Jie sat beside him, slowly sipping his wine, smiling without saying a word. Zhao Gang also smiled and shook his head, taking a bite of food without speaking.

Seeing Li Yunlong and Ding Wei's increasingly dark faces, Liu Yuheng finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. After laughing, he said, "Alright, alright, I was just joking with you guys. No one can erase your war achievements. There are higher-ups to consider regarding military ranks; it's not something we can change just by shouting here."

He raised his glass to the two men: "Come on, this glass is a toast to the battles we fought together, and to the old brothers who are no longer with us."

Li Yunlong's expression softened somewhat, and he raised his glass to clink with Liu Yuheng's. Ding Wei also raised his glass, and the group downed their drinks in one gulp.