A courtyard house; Li Yunlong, a subordinate of the deputy director of Harbin Military Engineering I

At Xiangshan in Beiping, Zhang Renfeng got out of the car, and the Central Guard Regiment immediately came over to open the car door, with the cadres snapping to attention and saluting.

Zhang Renfeng laughed heartily: "Wei Dayong, it's you."

Wei Dayong scratched his head: "Old regimental commander."

"Hmm, not bad, you actually got it done for you."

Zhang Renfeng sized up the strong, muscular man in front of him.

Wei Dayong had defected to the Kuomintang in his early years. Zhang Renfeng, who was the commander of the 772nd Regiment at the time, had long anticipated that the Japanese special operations brigade, Yamamoto's brigade, would enter Taiyue. He took the initiative to attack and brought Wei Dayong out with him.

This guy was really skilled. He served as a guard for a year and a half before Zhang Renfeng recommended him to Yan'an, where he joined the short-gun squad. He somehow managed to become the company commander of the guard regiment.

He chuckled and closed the car door: "The leaders are all inside; you're the second one to arrive."

"Oh?" Zhang Renfeng walked in, not expecting to be the second one to arrive.

Logically speaking, given my seniority, I should be the first one to arrive.

He wondered to himself, could it be that the old commander arrived earlier?

That's interesting. The usually taciturn guy is quite enthusiastic today.

Upon entering the conference room, a slender figure stood with his back to the door, a military overcoat draped over his shoulders, a small bag in his hand. He turned around and stared at Zhang Renfeng with a stern expression.

Zhang Renfeng took one look and exclaimed, "Holy crap!" He snapped to attention and saluted, "Greetings, Commander!"

The commander waved his hand, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth: "I never imagined that a little Red Guard from back then would become the famous Zhang the Explosive."

Zhang Renfeng felt a surge of warmth in his heart. After entering the Soviet area, Zhang Renfeng's Red Seventh Army was incorporated into the Red Third Army Corps, while this commander had always been in the Red First Army Corps.

Later, Li Tianyou, the division commander of the Third Army Corps, was incorporated into the 115th Division, while Zhang Renfeng went to the 129th Division. At that time, he had just turned eighteen.

During several counter-encirclement campaigns, he used the art of explosives to assist the First Red Army Corps in combat. This commander was young and liked young and violent cadres. He asked the Central Committee for people, but Zhang Renfeng turned around and went to the Taihang Mountains with the main force.

Are there any regrets?

Not at all!

Zhang Renfeng knew his place, after all, he had been following the old political commissar for almost twenty years.

Zhang Renfeng said, "I don't want to fly!"

The usually taciturn commander was unusually talkative today. He took a handful of beans and handed them to Zhang Renfeng: "Want some? I heard your Ninth Column did a great job. You were the top force in Qianniu, western Henan."

Zhang Renfeng took the beans, counted them in his palm, and didn't rush to put them in his mouth: "Not bad. After fighting so many battles, you've gained some experience."

"How is my senior classmate doing?" the commander asked the old brigade commander.

Zhang Renfeng said, "It's fine."

The commander pulled his coat tighter and said half-jokingly, "Explosion, explosion! That's a good name. If our country ever develops an atomic bomb, I think it would be very suitable to put you in charge."

Zhang Renfeng was taken aback. He didn't rush to reply; this was a topic that big shots could joke about, but he would never dare to respond carelessly.

Just as I was about to formulate my words, I heard my master's voice from behind.

"I knew it! If we're really going to do this in the future, let Renfeng do it. I'm all for it!"

Several leaders followed behind him, including the director of the Military Control Commission, Chairman Lin of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, and Minister Li of the United Front Work Department.

Zhang Renfeng quickly stood at attention and saluted the leaders.

He's the least experienced of these people!

He naturally had to wait until they finished talking before he was qualified to speak. If he didn't ask, he wouldn't even have the right to speak to Zhang Renfeng.

A large map was spread out on the conference table, showing the troop deployments and transportation lines around Beiping.

The leaders chatted casually, but every word they said carried significant weight.

Sitting at the lower end, Zhang Renfeng listened and soon understood—what they were talking about wasn't the negotiation itself, but what lay behind it.

Everyone understands that negotiations are meaningless, but we must show the nation our commitment to peace.

This is a diplomatic tactic!

Zhang Renfeng thought to himself, "Those guys from Commander Huang's group are basically here to probe the situation. If you really expect them to come up with anything, you might as well hope that pigs will fly."

What power can an acting president with little real authority have?

But this show must go on, for the people of the whole country, for those centrists who are still watching, and for the whole world.

It's not that we don't want peace; we've been striving for peace all along, but others won't agree.

The meeting lasted for about an hour. Several leaders spoke in turn, and Zhang Renfeng listened quietly throughout. Occasionally, when he was called on, he would give a brief reply without saying a word more.

After the meeting, the master kept Zhang Renfeng behind and first spoke with him about Zhang Rende: "Has your elder brother's attitude softened?"

Zhang Renfeng reported truthfully, "I talked to him all night, and he figured it out himself. These past two days he's been thinking about what to say when we meet."

The master nodded: "Your elder brother is a man of great loyalty, which is good. Huang Shaohong, in the end, is also a sensible person, but he's just too proud to back down. Your elder brother going to see him will give him a way out."

After saying that, the master changed the subject, his tone becoming more casual: "Renfeng, if the whole country were liberated, what do you think about being put in charge of the military industry?"

When facing your boss, every answer is crucial, but if you don't know how to answer, the best approach is...

Zhang Renfeng said earnestly and seriously, "I'll do whatever the organization tells me to do!"

"Hahaha!" Upon seeing this statement, the master immediately said, "Don't learn this way of expressing yourself from your old brigade commander. Just speak from the heart."

The old brigade commander he mentioned is now Commander Chen of the Fourth Army Corps.

Commander Chen had an extremely close relationship with his master. They were teacher and student in their early years, and later became superior and subordinate in the Special Branch!

Brigade Commander Chen's versatile statement will never be outdated.

But do you think you can fool your master?

Think more!

Zhang Renfeng said with a smile, "I've thought about it seriously. I do have some ideas about national defense and military industry. If the organization asks me to do this, that would be the best."

But I realized that I also had some ideas about leading troops into battle, and I had no objections.

But if the organization were to appoint me as a political officer, I would be perfectly capable of doing so.

The master coughed twice: "What if I asked you to take off your military uniform and go into diplomacy?"

This is a difficult problem, and it's exactly what Zhang Renfeng fears most.

diplomatic?

With his fiery temper, arguing with people is more painful than fighting them.

But you can't answer me, Zhang Renfeng thought for a moment and said:

"Actually, I can do anything, as long as I'm in a field I'm good at, I can definitely achieve results."

In diplomacy... I need a leader who's good with words. I'm not good at those roundabout ways, but having me sitting there can at least keep things in check.

His master was amused and pointed at him with his finger: "You, you're so oily but not greasy! Don't try to learn from your brigade commander anymore."

I don't plan to keep you here for too long. Your brigade commander keeps asking me for people, it's driving me crazy. He's afraid that once you come, you won't go back.

After your older brother finishes meeting with Huang Shaohong, head to the military base first!

"Yes!" Zhang Renfeng snapped to attention and saluted.

It was already afternoon when I returned to Nanluoguxiang from Fragrant Hills.

Zhang Renfeng entered the courtyard and saw his elder brother, Zhang Rende, sitting at the stone table smoking. The embers in his pipe were flickering, and the teacup next to him had gone cold without him adding any hot water.

"Big brother, what are you thinking about?"

Zhang Rende raised his head and tapped his pipe on the stone table leg: "Renfeng, I've figured it out. I know Commander Huang; he's not the kind of person who's stubborn to the end. Back in the Guangxi clique, he said that war is about winning hearts and minds; if the hearts of the people are scattered, the war can't be fought. He knows the current situation across the country better than anyone else."

Zhang Renfeng sat down and poured himself a glass of iced tea: "Shall I arrange for you to meet tomorrow?"

"Alright." Zhang Rende nodded, then paused for a moment before saying, "Renfeng, I have a condition. When we meet, I'll only reminisce with him and won't mention anything about your side. If he asks, I'll say I'm just a fitter now, only knowing about lathes and files, and I won't ask about anything else. Do you think that's acceptable?"

"Alright." Zhang Renfeng readily agreed. "As I said, you only need to meet him once; you don't need to say a single word more. He'll make his own decision after listening to you."

Zhang Rende let out a long sigh, as if he had been relieved of a heavy burden.

Before they knew it, it was the end of March. Accompanied by Zhang Renfeng, Zhang Rende went to the guesthouse where Huang Shaohong was staying.

When the two met, Huang Shaohong was stunned.

He looked Zhang Rende up and down for a long time, his expression shifting from doubt to surprise, then to realization, and finally to a long sigh:

"Zhang Rende! It's you! You're still alive! Back during the Central Plains War..."

Zhang Rende smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Commander Huang, how have you been? I'm lucky; I was rescued and settled in Beiping, working as a fitter."

Huang Shaohong turned to look at Zhang Renfeng, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Commander Zhang, I really didn't expect we had such a connection. Back in the Second War Zone, you looked familiar. Turns out, Zhang Rende is your older brother! How interesting!"

Zhang Renfeng said with a smile, "General Huang, since you two are old acquaintances catching up, I won't disturb you any longer. Please continue your conversation; I'll wait outside."

Over the next two days, Zhang Rende talked with his former superior officer several times, and also had several conversations with Zhang Renfeng.

Zhang Renfeng spoke about the current national situation, the progress of our army on various fronts, and the people's calls for peace, picking out everything he could to say.

Huang Shaohong's expression grew increasingly grave as he listened. On the third evening, he personally poured Zhang Renfeng a cup of tea and said, "Commander Zhang, let me think about it."

Zhang Renfeng held his teacup, offering no further advice.

He knew that this person's historical choice was to launch a telegram uprising, joining Long Yun and more than forty others.

But history is history, and we cannot neglect the present task.

United Front work is not that simple.

It's not enough for you to just lay out your reasoning; people will listen. You have to make them believe you're right; you have to let them convince themselves.

After all, it involves more than just his personal interests.

But the defection of a high-ranking officer is of extraordinary significance!

Zhang Rende was a stepping stone, a stepping stone that allowed Huang Shaohong to step down with dignity.

It's not because his older brother is particularly close to him, it's just that the situation is forcing him to act!

That night, Zhang Renfeng returned to Nanluoguxiang and sat with his elder brother at the stone table, drinking briefcases.

Zhang Rende had a high alcohol tolerance; he was still sober after drinking half a bowl, but he became more talkative:

"Renfeng, I talked to Commander Huang about his family today. His youngest son is studying in Nanjing, and his wife is in poor health. He said he's been away from home for so many years and has neglected his family too much. I told him that I was the same; I was conscripted back then and was gone for twenty years, not even seeing my parents one last time. As I spoke, his eyes reddened."

Zhang Renfeng held his wine bowl without saying a word, listening quietly.

"I told him that in the end, all a person wants in life is peace and stability. All that fighting and fighting, in the end, doesn't everyone just want a couple of days of peace? He nodded and said he knew. Later, he asked me how my job at the steel rolling mill was going. I said it was good, I earned forty or fifty yuan a month, enough for my family to eat and drink. He said he envied me."

Zhang Renfeng downed the wine in his bowl in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said, "Brother, your words are more effective than me lecturing him for three days and three nights."

Zhang Rende waved his hand: "I'm not good at preaching grand principles; I'm just having a casual chat with my old superior. Whether he listens or not is his business."

The two brothers talked for a long time...

In the middle of the night, Zhang Renfeng suddenly said,

"Big brother, I'm getting ready to go."