Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 2796 Return in triumph

When Tan Shuangxi finally set foot on the land he had thought about day and night, he was not excited or happy, but rather restless and restless after being scorched in the sun for an hour.

Although Bopu is not a good port, as the outer port of Lingao and the convenient waterway directly leading to Bairen and the county seat, this better-than-nothing Hekou port has greatly expanded compared with later generations.

According to Ma Qianzhu's opinion, the current scale of the book shop and the Senate's investment in it are already "very uneconomical". In order to adapt to the ever-expanding shipping requirements, two dredging ships were specially built to dredge the anchorage, and a large-scale artificial breakwater according to 17th-century standards was built. As for the continuous expansion of facilities in the port area, it is even more expensive.

From a geographical point of view, only for Lingao County itself, Houshui Bay, located in the northwest of the county, is a more suitable port. However, the inertia of development and the water shortage problem in the northwest of the county have made Bopu still a port in Lingao County. Gao is the busiest commercial port in the region.

Since then, the crowding level of the shop has become evident.

The fleet transporting the first battalion back had "priority" and had arranged a berth early. However, because the unloading area was too small and there were too many luggage with the army, it still caused chaos and serious traffic jams.

The sergeants shouted back and forth among the crowd to sort out the troops, and finally the whole battalion lined up at the dock to complete the roll call. Then they headed to the "temporary transit camp" under the leadership of the dock staff.

The temporary transit camp is the original "quarantine camp". Because Lingao's status has become more and more important, the quarantine of immigrants from mainland China to Hainan has been unified and unified in Haikou. Only a small portion of this vast camp remained as a "quarantine for sailors and merchants." The remaining part was used as a military transit camp, which served as a temporary garrison for military personnel and materials departing and returning from Bopu.

Although the army was not satisfied with this place, Qian Shuiting also felt that such a large area of ​​Bopu's valuable land was occupied by the army, but he could not find a more suitable location nearby.

In the transit camp, the soldiers performed a simple wash. Regardless of whether you washed your face on the ship or not, you all had to wash your face again. The soldiers had had their hair cut, bathed and shaved during their short break before boarding the ship, but after a few days of wandering, their beards had grown back. Especially some soldiers with beards, all of them were picked out and shaved by the joint service officers.

As Tan Shuangxi washed his face, he cursed that he had spent so much time in the sun in vain. However, the open fresh water and steaming tea restored his spirit.

"Attention! Everyone change into regular clothes!"

As the battalion messenger sent the order, the soldiers quickly took off their backpacks and took out their regular uniforms.

The regular uniforms are still the same ones they were issued when they set off from Hainan. This set of uniforms has been basically untouched except for being worn once during the expedition and several times during military parades and other military ceremonies in Chaozhou. It has been stored with the large luggage in the joint logistics camp in Chaoshan area. . So it's in pretty good condition, unlike the combat uniform, which is an old 1990s style, and I don't know which set it has been replaced.

After tidying up their appearance and putting on their regular uniforms, the soldiers who had been somewhat laid back all looked mighty and capable again. This is what the General Staff wants.

"Unfold the military flags!" As the order was issued, all the military flags of the battalion and company were taken out of their protective covers and unfolded. The red Iron Fist flag and the blue Morning Star flag fluttered in the breeze.

"The whole battalion formed two marching columns and marched in order!"

As the drummers and flute players played brisk marching music, the 1st Infantry Battalion lined up out of the transit camp, left Bobu Port, and walked along the highway in the direction of Bairen.

Accompanied by the sound of military drums, the soldiers marched briskly on the road. The weather was very good, and the Wenlan River was sparkling. From time to time, a row of tugboats pulled by large boats passed by on the river. The sailors saw the team sounding their whistles, and some active soldiers also took off their military caps and waved to the large boats, often Will bring a longer whistle. The farmers working in the fields straightened up and took off their straw hats to fan themselves in the wind. They stared at the long queue and shouted boldly to the queue: "Are you coming back from the north?" Someone in the team immediately replied: "Yes, we have reached Guilin."

Tan Shuangxi and his comrades around him were both familiar and unfamiliar with the scene in front of them. He liked the life of a soldier, which was tense and fulfilling, exciting and fulfilling. But this time, he felt the beauty of a peaceful life, which once made him The disgusting field work looks so tender from a bystander.

The unknown group in front started singing a military song of leaving, and the song spread from the front of the team.

Tan Shuangxi and the soldiers around him also sang. The joy of returning home and his love for this place turned into cheerful songs and bright eyes.

The team was getting closer and closer to Dongmen City, and a tall colorful gate emerged from the far end of the road. A thick wooden pillar holds up a huge plaque with three bright characters on it, Arc de Triomphe.

A welcoming crowd gathered under the Arc de Triomphe. As they arrived, countless firecrackers sounded on both sides, and then the cheerful "When the Soldiers March Back Home" sounded from the loudspeaker. People lined the streets waving flags and flowers. Colorful confetti and streamers floated down from the roofs on both sides of the road, like a joyous snowfall.

"Salute!" Following the order, the officers raised their hands in salute, and the sergeants and soldiers all turned their heads to pay attention. The police and the temporarily seconded National Army soldiers maintained order on both sides of the road and returned salutes in response to orders. Several children in the crowd followed the leading child's shout: "Salute to...sir...!" They all made different gestures. He performed a military salute in surprise and received a burst of cheerful laughter from the soldiers.

Why are we fighting? To seal his wife's shadow, no. For the sake of honoring our ancestors, no. For the glory of the Senate, no. It is to protect the life we ​​love, to allow more people to live such a life, and to allow everyone in the world to live such a life. Tan Shuangxi could not understand this complicated truth before, but now, after experiencing life and death on the battlefield and suddenly returning to normal life, he suddenly understood.

On this section of the road in the city, the team moved very slowly because there were so many people. If for the sake of food safety and order, the masses were prohibited from sending food to the soldiers, the march would have been even slower. But even so, many women, children and the elderly still crossed the cordon and poured into the team, giving them handkerchiefs, letters and various small gifts.

The person who squeezed in next to Tan Shuangxi was an old farmer. He grabbed the soldier next to Tan Shuangxi and asked with a mixture of anxiety and expectation: "My son is a soldier of the Eighth Battalion. Have they withdrawn?"

The Eighth Battalion was formed in Lingao, and the recruits supplemented during the establishment were mainly from Danzhou and Lingao. Seeing that the first battalion, which also set out from Lingao, came back, it was natural to think of the eighth battalion.

The soldier was stunned. He had no idea where the Eighth Battalion was.

Tan Shuangxi stepped forward to relieve the soldiers: "Old man, we are part of the Third Mixed Brigade, and the Eighth Battalion is part of the First Mixed Brigade. Now each battalion is arranging rest and recuperation, and they will probably be back soon. Don't worry. , the first brigade is heading towards Guangzhou. They took Guangzhou almost without firing a gun. Your son will definitely come back safely, so you can rest assured and wait for him at home. "

The old farmer seemed to have received a reassurance, and the anxiety in his eyes turned into relief. He kept holding Tan Shuangxi's hand and saying thank you. Tan Shuangxi took advantage of the salute and quickly took out his hand to say goodbye to the old farmer. Although the First Brigade took Guangzhou without paying much price, the subsequent losses during the security war were considerable.

"Brother, you must come back safely." Tan Shuangxi said secretly and trotted back to the team.

As the team entered the bustling neighborhood, there were more and more people on the street. Some were students organized by the school, wearing uniforms and waving flowers and flags. Others were clerks and customers from nearby shops. They were no longer doing business. They stood on the roadside and imitated the cheers of the students and cheered in Newspeak with a southern and northern accent. The windows of the shops on the second and third floors were also opened. First, a morning star flag carried on a bamboo pole stretched out, and then several smiling faces and arms waving small flags appeared. Someone was probably too excited and leaned out half of his body, almost falling from the building, which caused a burst of exclamations from the crowd of onlookers and soldiers.

"Don't fall down, because this death is not worth it." Tan Shuangxi couldn't help but think to himself. On the battlefield, life can be used to measure the value of a mountain or a city, but here, life is priceless.

Many people in the welcoming crowd held placards with unit numbers and names on them, and looked anxiously at the faces of each soldier who lined up, trying to find familiar faces among them. But one soldier after another walked over, leaving them only anxious and disappointed.

Probably because he was recognized as a sergeant, people kept coming up to stop him and ask about the situation of a certain unit.

At first he was hesitant about what he could and could not say, but later there were too many people gathered around him, and hesitating would only cause greater anxiety to those who came, so he had no choice but to say everything.

"The team you asked about was not from our brigade. They went to Guangxi, and we ended up going to Fujian."

"The casualties in Wuzhou were mainly from the National Army, and the Fubo Army suffered only minor casualties. Just relax!"

"Plague? We have been on the front line. I really don't know this..."

"Fu Sanjin? From which company? There are too many people with this name... from the National Army brigade? They are not from the same group as us..."

"The grenadier company is right behind. You can ask the soldiers behind later..."

"The fifth artillery company? I saw it in Shanwei. The Ming army is very timid. It should be fine..."

Suddenly a timid voice intervened: "Brother Shuangxi? Is it really you?!"