The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

"Go back and ask the Zhao family if they're afraid Zhao Nianci will die here!"

Zhao Hewu sneered and waved his hand. The Maxim rifle beside him fired a string of bullets, which blasted the wall of fundraising lists beside the ancestral hall clear from front to back and caused bricks and stones to fall apart.

"Xiang Qi, are you still holding on? Aren't you afraid of death?"

In Liu Jie's Sangong Temple, several members of the Farmers' Association Guard were a little panicked when they encountered this situation, but Xiang Qi, Jiang Xianyun and Chen Geng tried their best to control the situation and asked everyone to hide in the safe zone that could withstand bullets and not to run around.

As for Zhao Nianci, who had lived here for a month, he had already settled into "Stockholm" and was lying cooperatively in a shallow pit in the corner, on which was placed a thick wooden table.

Xiang Qi: "When will Comrade Chen come back..."

Jiang Xianyun: "This is the fifth time you've asked this question today."

Xiang Qi: "Although this Zhao Hewu also has the surname Zhao, he and Zhao Nianci are not relatives! He might really dare to do it!"

"It's almost there. We succeeded early this morning, so it should be here soon."

……

"Sorry! It's a little late!"

At the back, Chen Tianheng appeared, leading a horse. He ducked his body and quickly hid in the ancestral hall. "Didn't you tell me that Zhao Shengjin was a little fat boy? I had to walk back here with the horse!"

On the back of the horse led by Chen Tianheng, a child about eleven or twelve years old, tied with hemp ropes, was lying horizontally.

This kid is fat. Very fat. Super, super fat.

If he puts him on the horse's back, the horse will not be able to carry a second person.

This is Zhao Hewu’s son, Zhao Shengjin.

As we all know, there was no law to protect minors in 1923...

"Zhao Hewu!"

Xiang Qi peeked out from the front of the ancestral hall, while Chen Geng pulled Zhao Shengjin out from the side.

"You're not afraid that Zhao Nianci will die here, so are you afraid that he will die here?"

"Wow..." Zhao Shengjin burst into tears.

"Your mother! How dare you kidnap my son! I'm mad! I'm mad at your mother for something else!"

Xiang Qi: "Zhao Hewu, we won't make things difficult for you. Just ask Zhao Nianci's family to hand over the money and grain to the farmers' association, and we'll release Zhao Nianci and your child too! You don't have to pay to redeem him!"

“Dad! Wow…”

Chen Geng: "Cry? If you cry again, I'll charge you!"

Chapter 18

"Tianheng? Chen Tianheng?"

Chen Geng looked Chen Tianheng up and down and said, "I find that you seem to know everything."

Chen Tianheng: "Aren't you proficient in everything?"

"I served in the army under Lu Diping and was a sergeant squad leader before being discharged. You have always been a student."

Chen Tianheng rubbed his head and feigned innocence. "I learned this from reading. As for how I was able to rob the Zhao and Wu families... I was born with great strength. The Zhao and Wu families didn't have any armed guards, only servants."

When he was at the Anyuan Railway Mine, Chen Geng found that this student from the First Normal School who was three years younger than him was very strange.

It's not just that he has a lot of clever ideas, he can also speak fluent English to negotiate with the foreigners from the Railway, Mining and Communications Bureau. Nowadays, even students in new-style schools who can learn to read and write dumb English smoothly are considered to be gifted.

Chen Tianheng’s explanation was that his English teacher was Shu Xincheng.

(Translator, educator, lexicographer, author of the New and Old Cihai)

Why do we still train soldiers? We learn it in school.

How dare you rush into Zhao Hewu's house in Hengshan County with three members of the farmers' association, knock down the servants and tie up his son in no time? I'm strong.

……

Never mind, whatever he said is what it is.

Xiang Qi, Chen Tianheng, Jiang Xianyun, and Chen Geng were still hiding in the ancestral hall. Outside the hall, people from the Zhao family brought in several loads of silver dollars. This was their compensation for the grain money they had looted from Baiguo Town. The grain was also converted into silver dollars.

However, they cannot release him now. The Farmers and Workers Association will have to wait until Baiguo Town and several surrounding villages divide the money and distribute it to every household before releasing Zhao Nianci.

For example, in Yuebei Village, Zhao Nianci had taken two taels of silver from each household over the past three years through her fabricated land donations. The rice she had embezzled from the community and charity granaries was worth an average of more than three taels of silver per household, so now every household was receiving five taels of silver, much to the delight of the people.

Even the landlords in the village returned the money and grain that had been extorted by Zhao Nianzhi, the official landlord. For example, Hu Yujia accepted 350 taels of silver with mixed feelings.

By evening, the villagers of Yuebei Village had received their money, and the money from several neighboring villages had also been taken back by members of the farmers' association. Xiangqi and Chen Geng led Zhao Nianci to the entrance of the ancestral hall, opened the door, and pushed it open. Zhao Nianci, her legs weak and trembling, walked towards the crowd outside.

Now, the Farmers and Workers Association still has the fat boy Zhao Shengjin in his hands. He will wait until the core members of the Farmers and Workers Association are safely on the road and "transferred" before releasing him.

"Comrades, brothers from the Farmers' Association. We are about to go on a long journey."

Zhao Hewu's soldiers were two hundred meters outside the ancestral hall, and Jiang Xianyun gave a mobilization speech to the members of the Yuebei Farmers and Workers Association who were about to move.

"A total of 21 farmers and workers have joined our team in Yuebei."

"Among these 21 brothers, some have no parents or children to support, and one person's food feeds the whole family. Some have many brothers at home, and their brothers provide for their parents in their old age. Others have been miners in Anyuan and Shuikoushan for many years, and their families have almost forgotten them."

"In fact, brothers, you are not homeless, but your country is your home. You cannot serve your parents at home, but you can ensure that millions of elderly people in the future will have children and grandchildren, and live a healthy old age. You cannot marry and have children now, but you can ensure that more young people in the future will marry, have children, start families, and live a stable life."

"We have no ties, we are willing to devote ourselves to the revolution, and China has become our concern."

"I'm Comrade Chen. I'm responsible for planning the route and leading everyone out of the encirclement and moving to a safe place."

Chen Tianheng used a tree branch with one end burned into charcoal to draw a marching diagram on the ground of the ancestral hall.

"We will soon leave for Xiaolan Wharf in Baiguo Town, where two boats are waiting for us. We will board the boats and sail downstream towards Huashi Wharf. However, we will not go to Huashi Wharf. Instead, we will disembark midway before dark and walk about 20 miles to Futian Town to meet up with comrades from the Futian Farmers' and Workers' Association."

"There are more than a dozen comrades from the Futian Farmers' and Workers' Association. We recently sent them 10 guns. We will have dinner in Futian Town and rest during the day tomorrow. Tomorrow evening, two comrades from the Farmers' and Workers' Association will set out together and walk 25 miles to reach Tiejia Wharf on the Xiangjiang River before dawn."

"At Tiejia Wharf, we'll find a boat and two members of the Farmers' Union will sail down the Xiang River to Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, Changsha, and even Wuhan, completely escaping the clearing circle of Zhao Hengxi's army."

"This is our breakout route. Everyone, write it down. Because when we move, we will mainly walk at night. If any brothers fall behind, they will follow this breakout route and walk to the end of the route on their own. But it is best not to fall behind. We will rest and wait at Tiejia Wharf for one day and one night."

"The things you carry with you, your guns and bullets, are tools of revolution and cannot be discarded. I have prepared four days' worth of dry food and water bottles for each of you. Please make sure to refill the water bottles. For the rest of your luggage, please keep the weight within a reasonable range. Anything too heavy and difficult to carry should be left behind."

When the team set out, Zhao Hewu and his soldiers followed closely behind. Chen Tianheng asked the team to move as closely as possible and asked Zhao Shengjin to change positions within the team from time to time.

"They're still following too closely."

When they arrived at Xiaolan Wharf in Baiguo Town, Zhao Hewu's troops were only 100 meters away from the wharf, which Chen Geng thought was too close.

"Did you see that stone drum? Zhao Hewu!" Chen Tianheng shouted, making sure Zhao Hewu could hear him from a distance. After shouting twice, Chen Tianheng raised his rifle and cocked it.

"boom!"

More than 100 meters away, a ball of sparks rose from the center of a stone drum less than 40 centimeters long and wide.

"boom!"

Another spark.

Although it was not a sniper rifle, the shooting skills were enough to intimidate Zhao and Wu's troops.

Xiang Qi: "Set sail, let's go!!"

……

There were 28 people in total. They included 21 members of the Yuebei Farmers and Workers Association's security team, the Farmers and Workers Association's leaders Xiang Qi, Zhou De'er, and Zhao Bingyan, the working group sent by the Hunan Provincial Committee, Chen Tianheng, Jiang Xianyun, and Chen Geng, and the chubby Zhao Shengjin.

Among them, 27 people will get off the boat at Wapu and go to Futian Town. Then the boatman will carry Zhao Shengjin down the Junshui River. Tomorrow during the day, Zhao Hewu will find his son at Huashi Wharf.

Jiang Xianyun: "The peasant movement in Yuebei has come to a temporary end. We successfully launched a rice-price-neutralization campaign, allowing farmers in the surrounding areas to buy affordable rice and tide over the lean season. We also punished the local tyrants and evil gentry, and before leaving, we distributed money to farmers in more than a dozen surrounding villages, benefiting from it."

Chen Tianheng: "Three months of work have been largely fruitful. ... Comrades from the Futian Farmers' and Workers' Association have arrived. Why are there only seven of them?"

Not only were there few people who came to the Futian Farmers and Workers' Union for the meeting, but everyone was in a very low mood.

It turned out that Zhao Hengxi's Hunan Army had also stationed in Futian Town. During the encirclement and counter-encirclement, the Futian Farmers and Workers' Association's troops were captured by more than 100 Hunan Army troops, and a battle broke out between the two sides.

Of course, the guards of the Farmers and Workers Association were defeated. Not only did they suffer more than a dozen casualties, but they also lost three guns.

The Yuebei Farmers and Workers Association allocated 10 of their precious 20 standard rifles to support them...

However, Chen Tianheng did not blame the comrades on Futian's side.

"Comrade Liao Fangbing, this isn't your fault. We were still relatively weak militarily," Chen Tianheng patted Liao Fangbing, the head of the Futian Agricultural and Labor Union, on the shoulder. "I know you initially wanted to avoid a head-on confrontation with the Hunan Army, but you couldn't avoid it. When the fighting broke out, we were, of course, at a disadvantage. Fortunately, the seeds of our team have been preserved, and our strength can continue to exist and be sustained. This is victory."

Liao Fangbing: "We only implemented the equal sale of grain and didn't punish the local tyrants and evil gentry. What a pity. If we had more time, we could have arrested Zhou Laocai."

Jiang Xianyun: "Next time. We will come back eventually, and when we do, none of these warlords, bandits, local tyrants, and evil gentry will be spared."

Liao Fangbing led the way from Futian Town to Tiejia Wharf.

"The road is long and the water is long"

"Lost in one village after another"

"Look at the setting sun, it goes down and comes back again"

"The earth will never grow old, the sky will never be desolate, and the years will continue to be long..."

While walking in the deserted wilderness, the group sang the song that Chen Tianheng "made up on the spur of the moment" in various tones.

After the consolation of Chen Tianheng and Jiang Xianyun, and the encouragement of the Yuebei Farmers and Workers team members whose morale was obviously higher and more optimistic, Futian's comrades gradually regained their confidence.

"Comrade Chen, we have arrived at Tiejiapuzi Wharf and boarded the boat. Where are we going?" asked Liao Fangbing.

"Go to Changsha."

"Isn't Changsha Zhao Hengxi's home base?"

"Even if they issue a wanted notice for you, they don't have your photos. Can a portrait catch you? They can't!" Chen Tianheng laughed. "If Zhao Hengxi in Changsha also imposes martial law, then we can keep going, to Wuhan, or even Shanghai. China is so big, there's no place we can't find shelter."

"That's great! In fact, most of our comrades haven't revealed their names!"

After marching 5 miles, we stopped to rest.

This was the first time we stopped to rest tonight. We would have to stop like this four more times to complete the 25 miles and arrive at Tiejia Wharf before dawn.

"It seems like a group of people are catching up from behind?" Chen Geng rested on a big rock, which was the highest position and could see the farthest.

"Who is it? Are they pursuers?"

"They shouldn't be pursuers. They're holding torches. ... Let me take another look."

"It's also a team from the Farmers' Association! They're one of us!"

“…It’s Secretary Mao, Secretary Mao!”

"Secretary Mao has arrived with four teams from the farmers' and workers' unions in the south!"

Chapter 19

Mao Runzhi discovered the discrepancy between the Tan-Zhao War and the situation while working in Changning. Despite encountering significant information lags, he nonetheless made accurate predictions. When Zhao Hengxi's army descended on Changning County to suppress the Farmers' and Guilds, the three Farmers' and Guilds in Changning prepared for the aftermath, suspending their activities and going into hiding.

Mao Runzhi was most worried about the four farmers' associations in the north. He took several key members of the Lijiang and Yanzhou farmers' associations in Changning and crossed Hengyang City to the Hengshan area in the north of the city. He first took in the remaining survivors of the two farmers' associations, and then went to Yuebei, where he found that the Yuebei farmers' association had already collapsed...

Mao Runzhi and his entourage asked for directions along the way and now have caught up with Chen Tianheng's team.

"Secretary Mao... Secretary Chen, you're here too."

In the torchlight, the two teams came together, and Chen Tianheng saw that Mao Runzhi was accompanied by Xia Xi, Guo Liang, Xia Minghan, Lin Xiangqian, and even Chen Wangdao.

Mao Runzhi was also counting the heads of the peasant association. He was relieved when he saw that the three core cadres, Chen Tianheng, Jiang Xianyun, and Chen Geng, as well as several local cadres such as Xiang Qi, were there.

Mao Runzhi: "The farmers' associations in Donghu and Shouyue suffered heavy losses. Li Yuyong was killed, and Liu Dongxuan was arrested and imprisoned. It seems that your Yuebei staff are basically intact?"

These two individuals were the presidents of the Donghu and Shouyue farmers' associations, respectively. With both presidents gone, one could only imagine how many ordinary members were left. Chen Tianheng looked at the number of people in Mao Runzhi's group. Excluding the core members who had come with him from Changning, the Lijiang and Yanzhou farmers' associations only had a dozen or so members.

"Comrade Chen and Comrade Jiang anticipated that Tan Yankai would not attack Hengyang to support us, so they made preparations in advance," Xiangqi said. "No casualties or arrests were suffered by the Yuebei Peasant Association. The twenty or so people we brought with us were relatively young members of the Peasant Association who had no family ties and were willing to travel far to participate in the revolution."

"Our farmers' association suffered heavy losses, with several members sacrificed... Before leaving, the seriously injured Wen San did not survive, and the tenth person died," said Liao Fangbing, chairman of the Futian Farmers' Association.

Chen Tianheng: "Secretary Mao, Secretary Chen, the course of the Tan-Zhao War has not turned out as we anticipated. Is it Tan Yankai's fault or is it that we didn't coordinate well with Sun Yat-sen?"

Chen Wangdao said, "There was an unexpected situation at the Central Committee. Chen Duxiu mentioned this matter at the Secretariat meeting before meeting with Sun Yat-sen. Then, someone leaked this information to the Communist International. Maring rushed from Beijing to Shanghai to stop Chen Duxiu. Li Dazhao secretly sent me a telegram about what happened. I received Li Dazhao's telegram in Changsha and rushed here. Unfortunately, the telegram was too late... Chen Duxiu didn't contact or make an appointment to meet with Sun Yat-sen at all. Naturally, Tan Yankai and I didn't respond or cooperate."

After wandering around in the valley for so long, Chen Tianheng finally figured out the whole story.

Now that things have come to this, what else can I do? I can only sigh to the sky.

The group of more than 60 people marched through the night and arrived at Tiejia Wharf before dawn. During Zhao Hengxi's encirclement and suppression, the backbone of the peasant movement in Hengyang had unnoticedly moved from the Junshui River basin to the Xiangjiang River basin, effectively escaping the encirclement.

"Secretary Mao, my estimate was wrong. I overestimated my influence on Secretary Chen Duxiu. No, in fact, I overestimated Secretary Chen Duxiu's control over the Central Committee."

"You're not the one who should be remorseful," Mao Zedong shook his head. "Most of the comrades in the Central Committee surprisingly don't realize how favorable this opportunity is for development. Secretary Chen Duxiu has his problems, too. He's clear-headed. He previously opposed the cooperative model of joining the Kuomintang en masse and said the Chinese Communist Party should have its own independence, not just a branch that follows international directives completely. But despite all his words, when the Comintern's instructions came, he immediately obeyed."

Chen Wang said, "Runzhi, let's report this to the central government after we get to Changsha."