War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1611: Washing the body and sharpening the sword for battle

Under the leadership of Zhao Jinyu, Wei Ran rode the biting black horse in a slightly ostentatious manner and left through the back door at the corner of the backyard, and went straight to an open space surrounded by farmland at the edge of the village.

Just by looking at the terrain here and the stone mills, rollers and other farm tools lined up in the corners, you can tell that this open space should be a threshing ground.

On the other side of the threshing floor, there are several bluestone troughs. Not far from the bluestone troughs are several horse stakes that have been worn out to the point of patina, and a well with a one-meter-high edge.

The diameter of this well is nearly one and a half meters, and it is equipped with two water-drawing windlasses. Around the edge of the well is a bluestone platform that is more than one meter wide and half a meter above the ground.

"Just wash it here. This is where we usually brush the horses."

While Zhao Jinyu was speaking, she had already taken advantage of the time when Wei Ran dismounted the horse, tied the reins and removed the saddle, and turned the windlass to pull up a wooden bucket of clean water and pour it into the bluestone trough beside her.

After trying to touch the horse's neck and being nearly bitten by the black horse, Zhao Jinyu threw the wooden barrel back into the well in annoyance, swinging the well rope while cursing, "You bully the weak and fear the strong."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ran, who was busy checking the hooves of the biting horse, couldn't help but smile. He could see that Zhao Jinyu seemed to like this biting horse very much.

"Brother Wei, you shouldn't have stayed." Zhao Jinyu said abruptly when he picked up the second bucket of water.

"What do you mean?"

Wei Ran checked the last horse hoof before asking slowly.

"This spy company is engaged in a business that will lead to their own death"

Zhao Jinyu took off the Nine Dragon Belt and said, "It's not certain that you can subdue this horse."

"When we finally found your brother, someone told us that we came at a wrong time. Do you remember?" Wei Ran asked while sitting on the stone platform and taking off his leggings.

"Remember"

Zhao Jinyu opened her mouth, put the nine-dragon belt and clothes she had taken off on the hitching post next to her, and wearing only a pair of white shorts, she lifted the wooden bucket and poured it over her head.

Throwing the empty bucket back into the well, Zhao Jinyu bent down and grabbed a handful of wet yellow sand. While rubbing his arms, he said, "Just pretend I didn't say anything. But Brother Wei, how's your horsemanship?"

"What do you mean?" Wei Ran asked while taking off his clothes.

"Cavalry, cavalry, we have to fight on horseback."

Zhao Jinyu raised his chin worriedly towards the big black horse that was drinking water, and continued to scrub his armpits with yellow sand while saying, "Charging on horseback is no different from committing suicide."

At this point, Zhao Jinyu bent down again and grabbed a handful of wet yellow sand, "It's not enough for people not to be afraid of death, horses must also not be afraid of death.

But look at this broken horse, it bites really well, and if it turns around and runs away when the gun goes off, you will be regarded as a deserter and be shot."

“I guess it’s not a big problem.”

Wei Ran, who had also taken off all his clothes except for a pair of shorts, had already shaken up a bucket of water while speaking. He picked up the gourd ladle on the edge of the well, scooped up a ladle of water and poured it on the back of the black horse.

"When the horse is running, it's not easy to shoot accurately with the gun in your hand, and it's even more difficult to dodge the bullets fired by the Japanese."

Zhao Jinyu added, "If a man dodges a bullet, the horse must dodge it too."

“It all depends on fate.”

Wei Ran poured another bucket of water on the big black horse. Seeing that it did not resist, he stood on the edge of the well and poured all the water in the bucket on it.

"If I have time these two days, I will teach you how to use a saber." Zhao Jinyu said as he picked up the iron-tooth comb on the edge of the well and handed it to Wei Ran.

“Then I have to study hard.”

Wei Ran took the iron-tooth comb and asked as he brushed the horse, "Jin Yu, are you and Wang Chuan going to the battlefield?"

"Can't"

Zhao Jinyu became excited when talking about this. While shaking the water, he said, "Since I joined the cavalry company, I have hacked to death at least 15 devils with my own hands, and shot many to death with guns."

"What about the future? What are your plans for the future?"

"Of course I'm going back to find my brother."

Zhao Jinyu said without thinking, "I dream of fighting the Japanese with my brother, Brother Hu, and Squad Leader Xiaohu."

The topic went around and around again, and Zhao Jinyu's mood became obviously depressed. "Alas! I don't know when I can go back."

"Where is the flag?" Wei Ran asked.

"here I am"

Zhao Jinyu first poured a bucket of water on herself to wash away the mud and sand, and then pointed to the Kowloon Belt not far away and said, "I always keep it with me. By the way, Brother Wei, you can deliver those letters."

Before he could finish his words, Li Sui'an came over carrying a lot of things. Seeing this, Zhao Jinyu immediately stopped talking about the letter and looked at Li Sui'an together with Wei Ran.

In addition to the military uniform that Wei Ran had received, he also had a pair of black Japanese riding boots in his arms.

This thing is a treasure for cavalrymen. Not to mention anything else, Wei Ran had already noticed that, except for Captain Ma, whether it was Zhao Jinyu or Li Sui'an, or other soldiers they met, most of them were wearing black cloth shoes known as "lazy man's shoes" with leggings.

These black cloth shoes are light indeed, but when riding horses to fight, you need to tie them to your feet with cloth strips in advance, otherwise there is a high possibility of the embarrassing situation of the shoes falling off while running.

"Was this pair of riding boots a reward from the captain?" Zhao Jinyu asked curiously.

"Rewarded by the team leader"

Li Sui'an put these things on the hitching post and said, "This is a reward for Brother Wei. The regiment commander just made a bet with our company commander that if Brother Wei can subdue the horse, he will give him a pair of captured Japanese boots.

Brother Wei, try these boots on and see if they fit your feet. If they are too big or too small, you can exchange them."

"Is there a lot of this stuff?" Wei Ran asked while working.

“Not much, but we did seize some.”

Zhao Jinyu explained contemptuously, "The Japanese's horse harnesses are clumsy, but these boots are decently made, so everyone likes to seize some and hand them over as rewards."

"Let's chat for a while, Jinyu, hurry up and get dressed and follow me, the company commander wants to talk to us about something."

Li Sui'an didn't wait for Zhao Jinyu to reply, and gave detailed instructions, "Brother Wei, take your time to wash, and go back to rest after washing. Just leave this horse tied in the backyard, find a place for yourself, don't tie this thorn with other horses, it will bite not only people but also horses. Also, Lao Liu from the kitchen just brought all your things over, they are in our wing room."

"Okay, you guys go ahead and do your work, I'll go back by myself later."

Although Wei Ran vaguely felt that they seemed to be avoiding him for something, it was exactly what he wanted.

While carefully washing the big black horse that had finally become more obedient, Wei Ran watched Zhao Jinyu put on her clothes and quickly leave with Li Sui'an. Then he slowly followed the former's example, scooping up a lump of yellow sand as a grinding paste to scrub the sweat and mud all over his body.

Only after he had washed his entire body clean did he sit on a bluestone trough that had been heated by the sun to dry the water stains on his body, while using the cover of the horse next to him to begin checking the props he could use this time.

The anti-Japanese sword used in the previous scene was in good condition, the Pelikan fountain pen had plenty of ink, and the camera and film in the camera bag were all there, but the only thing missing was the letters from the anti-Japanese fighters.

Even the British army's water bottle, which was used in the previous scene, was filled with sorghum wine that was stolen from Hu Bazhi's home.

However, there was nothing in the Long March shoulder pole, and the box gun that came with it was just like in the first scene, with only a single bullet in the barrel.

He did not dare to take out for inspection the rowboat he had obtained in Baiyangdian that year, but the three titanium alloy oil drums were empty again, so clean that there might not even be a bacteria inside.

After looking around vigilantly, Wei Ran glanced at the person who was leaning over from the side, with a look of shock in his big eyes. After confirming that the other party could not speak human language, he immediately took out the big red food box and carefully opened the lid of the first layer.

There was something on this floor, a stack of black-and-white photos that he had taken in the first scene.

After a slight hesitation, Wei Ran did not look through the photos, but carefully picked up this layer and looked at the second layer of the food box.

  This layer.

Wei Ran couldn't help but open his mouth. There was only a bundle of letters and 10 silver dollars on this floor.

He didn't even need to open them to know that those letters were all family letters or suicide notes from the anti-Japanese fighters of that time.

“It seems that it was not sent out.”

Wei Ran sighed with regret yet relief, and slowly closed the food box with mixed emotions. Then, under the slightly funny and terrifying gaze of the biting horse, he put the food box back into the metal book.

Wei Ran let the biting horse search his hand with its thick and wet lips. Seeing that it had no intention of taking the opportunity to bite him, he put away his box gun, put on the clothes that Li Suian had just sent him one by one, and finally stepped on the pair of Japanese boots.

“Ok size”

Wei Ran muttered to himself, rolled up the old clothes and put them aside, then sat down again, patiently waiting for the fur of the biting horse that had been wanting to study his hands to be almost dry. Then he loosely put the sweat pad, saddle and other things on its body, led it back.

"Help me kill a few more devils"

After Wei Ran tied the horse back to a hitching post next to a proper stable in the backyard, he gently patted the biting horse's neck while skillfully making plans, "When I've killed enough, I'll get you a hundred or eighty mares with curvy bodies to trouble you."

Assuming that the snort of the black horse meant agreement to the dirty deal, Wei Ran carried the horse harness and returned to the room where he and Zhao Jinyu lived together.

Wei Ran took off his nice-looking riding boots, tore off his foot bindings, and put on the cloth shoes that Zhao Jinyu had brought him before. Only then did he have time to open the extra black coarse cloth bag on the edge of the kang.

There was only a Zhaowu cowhide bag issued by the Japanese in the early days in this bundle. Wei Ran recognized it the moment he saw it. It was the bag he had been carrying in the first act!

He opened the Japanese backpack impatiently, but found nothing like the grenade launcher and grenades he expected to see. In the already small backpack, besides the food-cutting knife that Hu Bazhi had given him, there was only a Japanese gun oil bottle, two pairs of straw sandals, a new pair of cloth shoes, and a set of smelly and tattered clothes.

After some picking and choosing, Wei Ran only kept the cooking knife, new cloth shoes and the gun oil bottle, and threw the rest into the corner of the door as garbage.

Without taking a break, he temporarily put the photos and letters in the lunch box into his bag, then unscrewed the oil bottle and began to maintain the box gun he had received not long ago, and even the rusty Japanese Type 44 cavalry rifle.

Fortunately, although this Japanese cavalry gun looks a bit miserable, it is actually in quite good condition.

Needless to say, the shuttle box gun that was received was of the same type and model as the one in the metal book, it just lacked the necessary maintenance.

He was busy in the west wing, but the room of Company Commander Ma Jintao not far away was filled with smoke.

At this time, in addition to Ma Jintao and his groom Bai Yuguang, there were also Zhao Jinyu and Li Sui'an in the room.

"That's probably the situation for this mission."

Ma Jintao said with a puff of smoke, "I called you two here separately just to ask if you two brothers want to bring brother Wei Ran with you."

"Brother-in-law, you are the company commander, and we are not the company commanders."

Zhao Jinyu said while picking her teeth, "If you want to take him, then take him. If you don't want to take him, then let him stay. Why discuss this with us?"

"Stop talking nonsense to me!"

Ma Jintao glared at his brother-in-law, and after a moment, he said, "Well, you two go back and ask if Brother Wei Ran plans to go with us. Jin Yu, according to the rules you set, let him leave a suicide note."

"it is good"

Zhao Jinyu nodded simply, "I'll go ask later."

"Captain, can he do it?"

The groom Bai Yuguang asked tentatively, "Please don't."

"Don't worry," said Li Sui'an, who had originally not intended to participate in this topic.

Seeing that both Captain Ma and Zhao Jinyu were looking at him, Li Sui'an relit a cigarette and took a puff, "Don't worry, Brother Wei has died once, he won't be a drag."

"Since Brother Wangchuan said so, let Wei Ran give it a try."

Captain Ma made a straightforward decision, "Go back and sharpen your sabers for me, and we'll set out at dawn tomorrow!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Jinyu and the other two responded in unison. The voices were so loud that even Wei Ran, who was hiding in the west wing not far away and was busy stuffing the photos into the corresponding envelopes, could hear it clearly.

"It looks like this is a job."

Wei Ran muttered something to himself, put the letter and the remaining photos back into the bag, turned around, picked up the whetstone soaked in water, and began to sharpen the broad-bladed saber, looking forward to a fatal battle.

(End of this chapter)