Chapter 19: So I’m Their Commanding Officer Now?
“To… it’s just by you giving them silver dollars, it’s that simple!”
Li Gaoyuan leaned over, closing the distance with Su Yaoyang.
“I’ve been a soldier for so many years, I know too well what these brothers below think, especially in ragtag units like the 112th Division.
They were originally reorganized from the Northeastern Army, and ever since their Young Marshal was placed under house arrest by the Chairman, they’ve become children unwanted by either parent.
Talking anything with them is empty; only shiny silver dollars are real, so it’s only right for you to be their head. Understand?”
“I… this…”
Su Yaoyang was also dumbfounded. Heaven knows, he just wanted to follow behind Li Gaoyuan and these National Army soldiers to sneak out of Nanjing city.
Flee to Sichuan or some safe rear area to hole up steadily, and under the premise of ensuring his own safety, use his golden finger to contribute to the War of Resistance.
Of course, if he could try that evil old society’s life of three wives and four concubines, that wouldn’t be impossible either.
As for personally going to the battlefield, braving a hail of bullets to fight the little devils to the death, that wasn’t in his original plan.
Now Li Gaoyuan suddenly made him the head of these routed soldiers, which was truly beyond his expectations.
Seeing the somewhat at-a-loss Su Yaoyang, Li Gaoyuan helplessly rubbed his nose bridge.
Today’s Chinese army is mostly from old-style armies, believing in whoever provides the milk is the mother—whichever side issues pay and weapons, they listen to them and fight for them.
Su Yaoyang not only distributed weapons and ammo to those routed soldiers, but just now also hauled out a basket of silver dollars to give bonus money to the soldiers, even promising pensions after death. In the eyes of all soldiers and officers, this was clearly an invitation to join him, and telling them that following him means plenty of bonus money.
And all the officers and soldiers including Lu Shaobin, since they accepted this bonus money, it means they’re willing to join under Su Yaoyang and fight for him.
This is something everyone knows in their hearts; only the person involved seems unaware, still muddled—this won’t do. Li Gaoyuan thought he needed to wake him up.
Fortunately, Su Yaoyang’s intelligence was still online. Seeing Li Gaoyuan’s indescribable look, he finally came around.
Pointing at his own nose, he tried: “Old Li, you mean just because I gave bonus money to Lieutenant Lu and them earlier, that means I’m inviting them to join?”
Li Gaoyuan slowly nodded, “That’s exactly the meaning.”
“But… but that wasn’t my original intention!”
Su Yaoyang got a bit anxious, stammering: “I was just… just…”
“Just what?” Li Gaoyuan frowned: “You give them bonus money and promise pensions, if not to recruit them, then for what? For fun?”
Su Yaoyang was dumbfounded for a moment, then slowly came around.
Yeah… not just now, even in the 21st century, bosses pay employees wages of course to make them work like oxen and horses for them—could it be for fun?
Thinking of this, Su Yaoyang tried asking again: “So that means, I’m now the commander of Lu Shaobin and those routed soldiers? They’ll all listen to me?”
“Yes!”
“But I don’t know how to fight!”
“Who told you being the head means you definitely have to fight?” Li Gaoyuan countered, then said meaningfully: “The brothers below don’t care if their superior knows how to fight; they only care if they can get their pay on time. It’s that simple. Think it over yourself.”
After saying that, Li Gaoyuan left, leaving behind the still dazed Su Yaoyang.
After a good while, Su Yaoyang finally snapped out of it. He looked around and saw Li Gaoyuan, Lu Shaobin, and several other officers directing soldiers to set up defensive positions.
Not far from him, several soldiers were using shovels to fill sandbags with dirt. Seeing this, Su Yaoyang instinctively walked over, picked up a shovel to help, startling the soldiers.
“No, no, sir, you just watch from the side. This rough work is for us.” A slightly older veteran-looking superior private quickly snatched the shovel from Su Yaoyang’s hand, then kicked the butt of a nearby soldier and cursed.
“Monkey… you damn blind, daring to let the officer do your work? No eyesight at all. No wonder you’ve been here so long and still just a second-class private!”
Watching the soldiers suddenly speed up, Su Yaoyang suddenly felt a wave of discomfort, as if he had become a black-hearted capitalist exploiting employees.
Observing the surroundings a bit more, feeling like he was superfluous here and uncomfortable in his chest, he decided to go check the church.
After entering the church, he found that at some point, everyone including Yu Mo and that group of female students had changed into German Type 36 field uniforms.
And Song Mei was even more exaggerated. Dressed in a white coat, she was in the basement performing surgery on a wounded soldier, with Xiao Lu and several female students assisting her nearby. Seeing this, Su Yaoyang shuddered and rushed over in an arrow step, tremblingly saying.
“Stop… Shopkeeper Song… Song Mei… what are you doing?”
“Shut up for me!” Startled, Song Mei’s hand shook. She raised her head and snapped: “Can’t you see I’m operating on a wounded soldier?”
“I… I… you… you all…”
Su Yaoyang was at a loss for words for a moment.
“Clang!”
A bullet was clamped out by Song Mei and tossed onto the metal tray, making a crisp sound.
Xiao Lu, holding the tray, shifted her gaze from the wounded soldier’s wound, suppressing her discomfort as she explained: “Young master… you probably don’t know yet, but Sister Song Mei studied at St. John’s Medical College in Shanghai before; she majored in surgery. Handling this wound is no problem.”
“I… alright… do whatever you want.”
Su Yaoyang watched the busy women and suddenly felt like a waste, not even as good as Xiao Lu or Shu Juan.
At least they could now assist Song Mei, guest-starring as nurses to treat the wounded, while he could only stand by watching, knowing nothing.
Scratching his head, Su Yaoyang turned and left the basement. He saw Yu Mo and over a dozen Qinhuai River prostitutes—some cooking rice, some boiling water. Though their movements were still clumsy, they were indeed doing their best.
“Sigh…”
Deeply struck, Su Yaoyang habitually reached into his pocket for the cigarette case, only to find the cigarettes were all gone.
“Oh… right… cigarettes…”
Seeming to think of something, Su Yaoyang looked around, saw no one noticing him, and entered a small room.
After a while, he came out of the church hugging a box…
