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In the summer of 1947, when Liu Deng's army was densely packed on the front line of the Huai River, and the battle was raging, a team unexpectedly met a farmer, Chen Xili, during the march. He was asked to lead the way through the rugged terrain. As the night shrouded, a seemingly ordinary exchange unexpectedly started a journey to find relatives.
At the time of parting, Chen Xili mentioned that he and his old mother depended on each other, and mentioned an older brother who had been separated for 18 years. Out of politeness, a Red Army soldier casually asked for his brother's name. As soon as the name was proposed, it immediately caused a slight commotion among the squad. After all, their commander is from the same place and has an unspoken past.
Could it be that there really is some kind of unknown connection between this ordinary peasant and their imposing commander? The warrior casually asked, did he inadvertently solve an eighteen-year-old family mystery?
Escape Night: The Teenager's Choice
On a quiet night in April 1929, Chen Xilian, a 14-year-old boy, lay on his cramped bed. Outside, the spring breeze is a little cool, and the curtains are gently swaying. Inside, his family had fallen asleep, broken only by the faint sound of breathing and the occasional turning over. Chen Xilian sat up from the bed gently, his eyes fixed on the knots that bound him. These knots were tied by his mother every night, because not long ago Chen Xilian insisted on joining the Red Army guerrillas and working hard to change the fate of the poor, but as the eldest son in the family, his mother was reluctant to let him leave, so he tied him at home with a rope.
He carefully touched the rough knots, each of which carried his mother's care and restraint. Chen Xilian began to untie the first knot slowly, moving extremely cautiously, for fear of waking up his sleeping mother. The pendulum in the room swayed slowly, as if it was counting down to his actions. As the first knot loosened, an inexplicable sense of freedom began to emerge in his heart.
Next, the second knot, the third knot, his movements gradually became proficient, and his heartbeat became more and more accelerated. He paused occasionally to listen for any changes in his mother's breathing. Just as he was untying the last knot, his mother rolled over and murmured vaguely, "Puqing, don't go." The voice, though faint, struck him hard in the heart. But he knew there was no turning back.
After untying the last knot, Chen Xilian gently slipped off the bed and stepped barefoot on the cold ground. He walked through his small hall to the door, and groped his palms for the deadbolt of the wooden door. Every movement is extraordinarily clear, echoing in the silence of the night. He slowly pushed open the door, and a cold wind rushed in his face, carrying the depth of the night and the coldness of the starlight. The outside world became incomparably wide at this moment, and the sparkling lights flickered in the distance, as if to guide him forward.
Chen Xilian didn't look back, he knew that the home behind him was his warmest harbor, and it was also the bond he had to give up at the moment. He took a deep breath and walked firmly into the outside world. The door closed softly, with an almost silent click, like his last conversation with his past life. He vanished in the night, leaving only a trail of footprints pointing to the unknown path in the distance.
With Chen Xilian's departure, everything in the house returned to calm. His mother may still be calling his name in his dreams, but he has embarked on a new path, towards a revolutionary path full of challenges and hopes.
Night Attack on Yangming Fort: The reputation of Chen Gangcannon
In 1937, at the critical moment of China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Xilian, as the commander of the 769th Regiment of the 385th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, was responsible for leading his 769th Regiment to prepare for a dangerous and critical mission: a night attack on Yangmingbao Airport. Yangmingbao Airport is an important military base for the enemy, where a large number of fighters and supplies are concentrated, which constitutes a huge support for the enemy's air power.
As the night deepened, Chen Xilian and his troops quietly assembled in the woods, and the starlight in the sky was sparse, providing a natural cover for this operation. The members of the unit had their dark faces painted with oil paint and only two eyes exposed, and each of them was carrying the necessary equipment and explosives. Their movements are swift and orderly, and everyone is clear about their tasks and course of action.
The route into the airfield was carefully chosen and was designed to avoid enemy sentry posts and patrol routes. Chen Xilian led the team silently through the low bushes, with light and steady steps. The airfield in the moonlight gradually came into view, and the enemy planes were lined up, apparently not expecting this night attack.
Arriving at the edge of the airport, Chen Xilian gave the signal to attack. Immediately, the team members quickly dispersed and marched towards their respective goals according to the predetermined plan. After a rush of footsteps, the night sky was shattered by a series of explosions, and the flames soared into the sky, and the deafening explosions echoed in the silent night. Enemy planes turned into fireballs under the action of bombs and Molotov cocktails, and the shock waves of the explosion stirred in the air.
The battle lasted less than an hour, and Chen Xilian and his troops quickly withdrew from the scene, leaving billowing smoke and burning rubble behind. The success of this operation greatly weakened the enemy's air power, and at the same time dealt a heavy blow to the enemy.
The news media quickly picked up detailed coverage of the battle, and the heroic performance of Chen Xilian and his troops made headlines. In the report, Chen Xilian's image was particularly prominent, and his bravery and determination were given the nickname "Chen Gangcang", which quickly spread among the people and became a heroic symbol in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
In his distant hometown, Chen Xilian's mother, with the help of her neighbors, saw a newspaper report about the night attack on Yangmingbao. In the photo, although she couldn't see her face clearly, she could feel that it was her son, her "Puqing". Seeing her son's heroic posture on the battlefield, her eyes were filled with tears, which were tears of pride for her son's bravery and a prayer for his safe return.
A chance encounter on the eve of the Battle of the Huai River
In the summer of 1947, Liu Deng's army advanced to the Huai River, preparing to capture the Dabie Mountain area. The area was densely forested and the terrain was complex, and in order to ensure the smooth running of operations, Red Army units often had to rely on the help of the local population to guide their way or provide intelligence.
On such a day full of war clouds, a squad of Red Army stopped at a small village near the Huai River to seek a local guide. At this time, they met a farmer named Chen Xili. Chen Xili is of medium stature, his skin is slightly tanned by the sun, and the calluses on his hands and the steadiness of his steps reveal traces of years of farming.
The captain of the Red Army squad explained their need to Chen Xili and asked him to lead his troops through a difficult terrain in order to avoid possible enemy patrols. Chen Xili nodded in agreement, and he led the Red Army along the trail, through rice paddies, around large bamboo forests, and towards the target area.
As night fell, the view of the ground gradually blurred. At a small stream, Chen Xili stopped, he told the captain that it was too late to march again, and suggested that he camp here for the night. The captain accepted his advice and ordered the troops to rest here.
In between recuperations, a soldier chatted with Chen Xili. When asked about Chen's family, he talked about his life with his elderly mother, revealing that he had an older brother who had not returned home for 18 years.
The warrior curiously asked for his brother's name. Chen Xili said the three words "Chen Xilian". The soldier was stunned for a moment, then realized the weight of the name, and he quickly turned to the squad leader and reported the situation.
When the squad leader heard the news, he immediately realized that they might have found the family of their commander. He decided to immediately arrange for Chen Xili to contact the high-level management. That night, the squad leader got in touch with his superiors, explained the situation, and asked for instructions.
Mother and child reunion: the home of the soul
After the two sides confirmed each other's identities, Chen Xilian and several soldiers immediately set off for Lei Min's village. The village looked a little dilapidated, the walls of the houses were mottled by disrepair, and some of the old tiles shivered slightly in the cold wind. They found the home of Chen Xilian's mother, Lei Min, a modest hut with several roof tiles that had been eroded by wind and rain. Chen Xilian's mood was extremely heavy, he walked forward quickly, pushed open the door, and saw that the room was dim, and a ray of slanting sun projected through the window, illuminating a corner of the house.
Inside the house, Lei Min was lying on a pile of straw, with gray hair and a very haggard face. Seeing this, several fighters immediately stepped forward and gently helped her up. Due to Lei Min's weak body, they quickly pulled a simple trolley and padded it with a blanket and quilt to allow her to move more comfortably.
Then, accompanied by the escort of the Red Army soldiers, Lei Min sat on a trolley and slowly marched to the headquarters. When the villagers along the way saw this scene, some stopped what they were doing, and some poked their heads out of their homes to see the old man on his way to the reunion. Despite the cold wind, Lei Min's face was filled with a warmth that he had not felt in a long time.
On the morning of December 9, I finally came to the door of the headquarters. Chen Xilian was already waiting there. As Lei Min is slowly pushed in front of him, the mother and son are finally reunited after eighteen years of separation. Almost at the same time, they shed tears, which were very clear in the cold winter wind. Chen Xilian stepped forward and hugged his mother tightly, and Lei Min's hand caressed his son's back, unable to help himself for a long time.
That night, Chen Xilian decided to stay with his mother, and he spread all his bedding on his mother's body to ensure that she could stay warm on this cold night. Lei Min, on the other hand, held his son's hand tightly, as if he was afraid that he would disappear again. The two sat in the dim light, and Lei Min began to recount the details of her life over the years, talking about the changes in the village, the stories of the neighborhood, and the habit of leaving a meal for her distant son every Chinese New Year.
Chen Xilian listened, occasionally interjecting, confirming some details in his memory, or simply responding. There was a faint warmth in the room, and time seemed to stand still at this moment, leaving only the warm flow of veins under the lights. The wind outside gradually faded away, and the words and memories inside the house became the warmest companion of this winter night.
References:[1]Chen Lin. Decision & Information,2000(4):23-25