Peng Tao suddenly realized, but the doubts in his heart were not resolved. He found that what really frightened him was not the result of this attack, but the action itself: when the entire company suffered all casualties, the attack was stopped, and he knew that the terrain on the main peak was dangerous, and There were Soviet heavy machine guns guarding them, and if they attacked they would die, but if they didn't attack they could survive. Why did Shang Yujun and the others still risk their lives to attack? Doesn't Shang Yujun know how to cherish his own life? ! And Liu Zongsheng. It was from the commander's evaluation of the first day's battle that he better understood the significance of the battle conducted by the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Regiment in the 632 Highland area. Without the presence of this battalion in the area, or if the battalion collapsed under the attack of the Soviet troops at Xilian Mountain and Vulture Ridge, the fate of the 4th Regiment being wiped out in the No. 001 Highland area would be difficult to change, and No. 1 Ridge would be attacked from the front. He couldn't guarantee that he could really hold such a long ridge.
Not only is the team led by Liu Zongsheng a mystery, but Liu Zongsheng himself is also a mystery: if he hadn't personally used a heavy machine gun to neutralize the threat from the reinforcements in the direction of Mount Xilian to the 9th Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Underground Regiment of the 634 Highlands, the 9th Company would have They would all be destroyed that afternoon, and Shang Yujun and the others would have no chance to attack the main peak. Not only would they be unable to capture Highland 634, but Highlands 633, 632 and even 631 would also be immediately subject to a chain attack by the Soviet army, with disastrous consequences. How could this person, who was unattractive in appearance, poorly educated, and unappealing in his words, lead such a team capable of fighting evil? How can we bring out platoon leaders and soldiers like Shang Yujun and the other six people? Also, it was late that night. He refused to let the troops attack Highland 634, and he was wounded in the neck. Why did he risk his own life to open a passage in the gully minefield on the northwest side of Highland 634 and move towards the high ground? Didn't he expect that if he was not careful, he would die in a minefield or on Highland 634? What is his purpose in doing this? Peng Tao couldn't find the answer, so he had to accept the following answer that shocked him: Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun were both good people, and they both wanted to die heroically in their final actions. Not for victory, but simply to perform military duties for the last time and to die heroically!
It was at this time that he fell into a deep sense of inferiority and self-blame. In the past, he always thought that he was the most heroic and outstanding soldier. Now I find that not only compared with Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun, but also compared with any of the most ordinary soldiers in the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Regiment, I am not only not heroic and outstanding, but also not even a qualified soldier. He sees the loyalty, bravery, and loftiness of others, and at the same time he sees his own selfishness, cowardice, and insignificance. However, these latter qualities are contrary to his self-esteem, pride, and heroic beliefs in his life, and he himself cannot bear it. of.
The war was not over. After a brief respite, the Soviet army became fiercely entangled with the Chinese army. Fighting takes place on the front lines every day. At this time, Peng Tao began to show a surprising new style: in the past, he liked to give orders in the command post, but now when there is a situation on the position. He was about to rush there in person, squat in the trenches with the soldiers, drink raw water, and hide in the bunker to participate in the battle. He has long been no longer afraid of the small red and white flags on both sides of the path to the battlefield, nor is he afraid of the landmines and artillery fire laid by the Soviet army. His new style is a practical need - he must resolutely defend every inch of the position, and he will feel more at ease directly on the ground to command.
It¡¯s the longing that fills the heart of a self-abased and fiercely self-condemned heart. "Your life is no more precious than others," he often said to himself harshly to resist the premonition of death that came up from time to time during the battle. "Even if you can't be as heroic as Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun, at least don't be beaten. The Soviet army was scared to death!" His new style brought him rewards that Peng Tao had not expected: every time he appeared on the battlefield, he would inspire the soldiers and inspire their spirit of heroism and sacrifice. , thereby winning every battle. Peng Tao used to read historical records and often did not understand the practices of the famous generals Ma Fujun Zhao She and Fubo General Ma Yuan: every time they went on an expedition, they always put all the gold and silver rewarded by the king or emperor at the gate of their house for the soldiers to pick up. Pick. When Li Guang, known as the Flying General, marched and camped, he always "eat when the soldiers have eaten" and "drink after the soldiers have drank". today. He vaguely felt that he understood something: the behavior of these famous generals could not be explained by "winning over the soldiers' hearts". It was true respect for soldiers and regarding them as the foundation of combat and victory. Suddenly, Peng Tao realized with excitement that he had just gained some insight into the subtleties of being a general.
to him. The biggest gain was that he was finally able to understand Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun, as well as the officers and soldiers of the grassroots troops like them. Liu Zongsheng represents a large number of people in the army that he has been unable to understand and grasp over the years, while Shang Yujun represents a large number of new people who are older than him and cannot be understood by him. Regardless of Liu Zongsheng's performance in the last war, His brave spirit, or the heroic behavior of him and Shang Yujun in retaking Highland 634, became a mystery that shocked his soul afterwards. However, when he placed himself on the battlefield and among ordinary soldiers day after day, he himself became an ordinary soldier in the battle. These things could never be found in the past.The answer to the mystery is there.
"You can't understand them because you always think about everything from a personal perspective, including war and death. Without this perspective, you can't understand anything. Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun are different. They are not at all for They threw themselves into every war. They entered the war purely in the sense of defending the motherland, and bore the heavy weight, suffering and sacrifice of the war. What they showed was not their personal strength, but the kind of spirit in the life of the Chinese nation. A profound, great, and never-conquerable power. It is this power that has enabled this ancient nation to overcome internal and external troubles and survive generation after generation. It will survive forever and continue to create and extend its own glory. Do you think you are You are outstanding, different, and have a special mission. You think that war is a place for you to display your talents and realize your lofty ambitions. In fact, you are wrong. War is just one nation showing its strength and determination to another nation and safeguarding its own interests. and dignity, you are just one of Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun. Your identity and mission are the same as theirs, which is to defend the motherland with your own life in this historical era. This is It is your true destiny as a soldier, and it is also the glory of your life. You are not yourself, you are just a member of the Chinese nation. Only people like Liu Zongsheng and Shang Yujun can fully integrate themselves. Only when you join the ranks of soldiers will you have strength.¡¡±
On the 10th day of the war in the Kibifu Mountain area, the 3rd Regiment officially received an order to withdraw from the battlefield. At this time, Peng Tao's appearance and heart had been completely changed by the war: he no longer believed that he was born heroic, but he was more heroic than ever before; he no longer showed his excellence in any way. But he was even more outstanding than before; more importantly, the shallowness, arrogance and violence that had previously dominated his life disappeared, and his heart became broad, deep and gentle. He understood sympathy, compassion, and how to learn from everything. He understood people and things from a completely new perspective, and suddenly had a demeanor that only a senior military commander would possess. An obvious fact is that although Peng Tao did not die in this war, like many martyrs, the original Peng Tao disappeared forever.
Peng Tao, who got his leave, set out to return to the capital after more than a year's absence. Staying in a hotel arranged by others in advance, and telling the commanders at all levels the battle history in the Kibifu Mountain area again and again as required. During this period. The Supreme Command officially issued an order appointing him as the commander of the 16th Division. By the time he was finally able to leave the hotel and return home to rest for a few days, a month had passed.
In such a month, Peng Tao's own inner emotions have also undergone great changes.
First of all, he got the rest that he had longed for during the war, and his physical strength and energy were well restored; secondly, the longer it went from war to peace, the harder it was to calm down the intense emotions left by the war in his heart. These feelings are: Although he led his troops to victory in the Battle of No. 1 Ridge and was regarded as a hero by people in the front and rear, in fact, except for him and his comrades. It is difficult for others to understand all the tests and thoughts this war has given them; not only that, in the days when he returned to Beijing, he also heard people use the phrase "a small war" to refer to this Moscow war on different occasions. Peng Tao was not used to the war in the nearby mountainous area at first and found it harsh. To others it might be a "small battle", but to him he devoted all his life. Even life itself, but later I had to get used to it, because even compared with the large and small battles currently going on, the Battle of Mount Kibif can only be regarded as a "small battle"; secondly. After not living in Beijing for many years, when I came back this time, I found that it had changed drastically. It had become more beautiful, open and fashionable. It seemed strange and noisy to him, making him feel that he was no longer a Beijinger but like an outsider.
On the day he returned to Beijing, first a chief of the headquarters who listened to his report, and then his mother, all hinted to him: The real reason for asking him to come to Beijing this time was none other than this senior officer. After hearing reports from relevant parties, I said I wanted to see him in person.
For this reason, after reporting to the commander of the headquarters, the relevant authorities did not let him go home, and his mother did not let him go back. She asked him to continue to wait in the guest house of the headquarters to wait for the commander to receive him. He understood what his mother was thinking: how many people had started their glorious futures because of this officer's favor. His mother believed that although his son was now a hero on the battlefield of Mount Kibifu, he was just a hero. If the officer could If you meet him alone, you will see that he is no ordinary hero. His future in the military is likely to be unlimited.
The mother also revealed a secret on the phone: Peng Tao¡¯s father, General Peng Qingzhong, and she herself had a very close relationship with this officer during the war years. She asked Peng Tao to say hello to the superior for her when he received him, so that perhaps the superior could recall the difficult years they spent together in the war years.?. Peng Tao was a little impatient and determined not to do as his mother said. But since the chief had said that he would receive him, and no one was notified in the future that the chief had canceled what he had said, he could only wait in the guest house day by day.
After a week of doing nothing, Peng Tao concluded that the commander must have forgotten what he said casually. He was just about to call the relevant parties to express his views and request to return to the battlefield, but he received a formal notice that that night The chief wants to see him.
Peng Tao became excited. Although what his mother said didn't sit well with him, the officer really wanted to see him. He immediately understood what a huge honor this was for him.
From morning to night during the day, he was preparing to report to his superior on the Battle of Mount Kibifu. He was not reporting on how brave and good he was in fighting, but telling him about the Battle of Highland 634 and the deeds of the dead and living heroes.
He got in the car at 6 o'clock after dinner and set off, still feeling that he was not better prepared. No; he was too excited.
A black "Dragon Flag" car passed silently through the quiet streets and sent him into a familiar courtyard. So it was like this. Later, he thought that this type of yard was familiar to him in his childhood: the wall outside the yard is red, which is very distinctive. When the car drives in, you will find that there is actually a lot of space inside. There are buildings with the same red appearance, and some royal and antique gardens and flowers and trees. The car stopped at the steps outside the building. A staff officer led him out of the car. After passing a long corridor covered with old carpets, he was ushered into the living room of the chief's house. The staff officer on duty asked him to sit down and wait for a while, then walked into a door at the other end of the living room and disappeared.
Peng Tao sat down, trying to calm his excited heart, and looked at the living room of the chief's house. The living room is large, except for a new fuchsia carpet covering the entire floor. It was no different from the large living room his family once had. Compared with the living rooms of many officers below, this officer's living room is too simple.
A waitress came over silently. He served him tea, nodded, and disappeared silently.
Peng Tao waited for twenty minutes. In his opinion, these twenty minutes were longer and more difficult than twenty years. He came with excitement, which was tempered by the long wait. He stood up, sat down, sat down and stood up again. For a moment, he suspected that he would be left here forever without being able to see his superior. No one would even think of him and come out to greet him.
The chief came out at this moment. He suddenly walked out of the door at the other end of the living room. No one warned Peng Tao beforehand, and no one followed the officer into the living room afterwards. Peng Tao stood up for the twentieth time at this moment. When he saw this commander who appeared on TV news almost every day standing far in front of him, he was a little at a loss. Finally reacting quickly, he stood at attention with a snap. Raise your hands in salute and say loudly: "Report to the President, Commander Peng Tao of the 16th Army Division has been ordered to come to see you!"
Yang Shuoming didn't answer him. He had clearly just eaten. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright. After walking out of the door, he caught a glimpse of Peng Tao. He seemed to be surprised and then thought of something. He stood there and looked directly at Peng Tao for a while with his moist eyes that seemed to be covered with a layer of water. It seemed like he was trying to read something from his face. Then, he relaxed and sat down on a single sofa near the door. He waved his hand to Peng Tao casually, like an adult greeting a child, and said, "Come here. You are the son of General Peng Qing." Right? It's a bit like that. Okay, don't stand, sit down."
Peng Tao walked over and sat down on a sofa that was closer to Yang Shuoming than he imagined. He didn't realize that he was so nervous and reserved in front of Yang Shuoming.
"How many days has it been since?"
"Two weeks." Peng Tao sat up straight and took out the reporting materials he had prepared from the operational map bag. "President, should I report now?"
Yang Shuoming waved his hand slightly, still looking at him attentively.
"Hmm. No. I want you here just to take a look at you. You don't know that the year your mother gave birth to you, she didn't have enough milk, so I mailed milk powder to your father."
Peng Tao's tears suddenly became wet. He didn't want to "get close" to Yang Shuoming, but Yang Shuoming took the initiative to bring up the past. He couldn't help but be moved and said what his mother asked him to say: "Uncle Yang, my mother asked me to say hello to you on her behalf. State affairs You¡¯re busy, so you should take care of yourself.¡±
Yang Shuoming said "Oh" and smiled, the water in his eyes getting brighter. At this time, he didn't look like Yang Shuoming, who was famous for his majesty throughout the army, but like an ordinary elder. Another feeling he had was that he didn't need to report anything tonight. Yang Shuoming might have already known about the war in the Kibifu Mountain area. The reason why he wants to do it by himself is really terribleNeng just wanted to meet the son of his old subordinate who had made great achievements in the Battle of Mount Kibifu.
"How is your mother?"
"she's fine."
"How many brothers and sisters do you have?"
"It's just me and my sister."
"Ohwhat is sister doing now?"
"Be a teacher in a middle school."
A pleasant, old-fashioned conversation that Peng Tao thought would last for a long time was interrupted at the beginning. A very high-ranking staff officer suddenly walked into the living room, walked up to Yang Shuoming without stopping, leaned down, and whispered something in Yang Shuoming's ear.
Yang Shuoming's face did not change. His expression was always majestic, and all major events in the country and the world were under control. He still had such an expression now, but the light that floated on his face quietly when he was talking to Peng Tao was not as bright as oil paint. Disappeared. Now he is as calm and majestic as people often see on TV. There is a simple, cold and intimidating spiritual power hidden in his calm expression that only people with great responsibilities in the world can have.
ps: People who like to keep pets need to show their love more or less by controlling another life, but they are never willing to let it go. They don't know the truth of letting life return to freedom. If you don't know how to let go of your feelings and occupy the other person's private space, you are actually not falling in love with the other person. You are just falling in love with the fulfillment you enjoy by including your lover in your life. It is not really falling in love with the other person and caring about the other person's life.