Chapter 5: Night Raid
Yin Chuan chuckled, "I'm saying, General, if there's anything you can't handle yourself, I can do it for you. Even if it's just giving you some advice or setting up a platform, it's better than having you handle all that mess yourself."
Staff Officer Han could tell there was something else going on in Yin Chuan's words. However, he also understood that Yin Chuan seemed to be deliberately trying not to get too specific, so he didn't dwell on it at this point. He simply said, "Well, let me give you a word of advice: illness comes from the mouth, and disaster comes from the mouth. I hope you will be careful with your words and actions."
Yin Chuan smiled and said yes repeatedly, then asked tentatively: "General, what are you all doing here in this heavy snow?"
"It's better for you not to ask too much about military matters."
Yin Chuan felt that there was no intention in Staff Officer Han's tone to blame him for asking random questions, as if he was just refusing to answer as a routine matter.
"I heard from the guard that this is the door to some commander's barracks. Is there some urgent mission the regiment needs to assign?"
Staff Officer Han did not answer, but gave Yin Chuan a look, meaning that you will know when you see it yourself.
Yin Chuan stood on tiptoe to watch and listened carefully. It turned out that a senior officer in a military cloak was assigning tasks in the heavy snow, but was questioned by other officers.
"Deputy Captain, Captain Shen has already completed all the tasks that need to be assigned. Why are you doing this again?"
"That's right, if this isn't what the leader wants, why should we listen to you?"
"Unless the commander personally orders us to change our mission, we will not recognize your order."
…
After a barrage of questions, Yin Chuan roughly understood the identities of these officers. Standing at the barracks door was the deputy regimental commander of the pigtail army, Situ Xin, and his four guards. Surrounding them were the battalion commanders of the regiment: Li Huaide, commander of the first battalion; Chen Xi, commander of the second battalion; and Wu Ziqing, commander of the third battalion. Also included were their respective adjutants and personal attendants.
"Commander Han, please forgive me for being so nosy. Why is it that it wasn't Captain Shen who gave the order, but Deputy Captain Situ? And why did he let everyone get caught in the snow outdoors? Wouldn't it be better to go inside and talk?"
Staff Officer Han lowered his voice and said coldly, "What do you know? This is called establishing authority."
"To establish authority?" Yin Chuan was puzzled. "You're already deputy head of the group, why do you still need to establish authority?"
"Hmph, you don't need to ask that. Just wait and see." Staff Officer Han smiled maliciously.
"Sir, why are you telling this to an outsider like me? Are you…are you planning to silence me?"
Staff Officer Han glanced back at Yin Chuan and pulled him aside. "Let me tell you, if I didn't want you to know, why would I have called you over and gone to the trouble of silencing you?"
"So what are you doing..."
"Because you are an outsider, I naturally have my own plans. You will know when the time comes."
His words were incomprehensible. Although Yin Chuan did not understand the implicit meaning of his words, he could vaguely feel that this Chief of Staff Han seemed to be plotting some ulterior motive, and that he might become a tool to be used by him.
Just as Yin Chuan was thinking about how to deal with the staff officer Han who had ulterior motives, three crisp and rhythmic gunshots suddenly came from the southwest, "Bang... Bang bang...", followed by a burst of noise outside the military camp, with the sound of gunfire, horse hooves, and many people shouting.
Staff Officer Han had a puzzled expression on his face, muttering, "They're here already?" He then left Yin Chuan and walked out. Meanwhile, the barracks erupted in chaos. The emergency assembly horn blew, and a large number of soldiers rushed out from the various barracks. Some were still searching for their guns, some hadn't even put on their military shoes, and some even had their belts loose. The entire barracks was in chaos.
Just when Yin Chuan was stunned, Du Yunzhang and Linlang found him. Linlang asked what happened. Yin Chuan shook his head, indicating that he didn't know what happened.
"According to my previous experience as a soldier, there must have been an enemy attack on the military camp, otherwise there would not have been a sudden emergency assembly alarm. But this is near Huaiyin County, and there is a regiment of regular troops. How could the enemy be so bold?" Du Yunzhang said.
The three of them had just said a few words when they heard a burst of gunfire all around them, "Bang, bang, bang..." one after another, and there were continuous flashes of light like meteors in the snowy night. It was a torrent of bullets, flying over the three people's heads.
"It's not safe here. Let's find a trench to hide in!" Du Yunzhang shouted.
Yin Chuan and Lin Lang knew that he had participated in real combat and was very experienced, so they followed his assurance and found a trench on the side of the camp where the gunfire was quieter and jumped in. Although there was a thick layer of snow inside, it was still quite safe to hide in it.
The gunfire continued until after midnight. Du Yunzhang held Yin Chuan and Lin Lang with both hands, forcing them to lift their heads to avoid being hit by stray bullets. They remained silent, not daring to move, as the flashes of light above them streaked through the heavy snow. Only when the gunfire faded did Du Yunzhang release them, allowing them to straighten their backs.
Yin Chuan shook off the snow vigorously. The heavy snowfall had vanished, leaving only tiny specks of snow in the air. He glanced around and realized—wow! The snow had already filled the trench, which was only about a meter high, by more than half, and the entire barracks and tents were practically completely covered by a single white quilt.
The three of them, each supporting the other, finally climbed out of the trench with great effort. At this moment, Yin Chuan saw the Second Battalion Commander, Shen Xi, giving orders to the soldiers not far away: "Second Company Commander, take your men to count the amount of lost military supplies. Where are the people from the Third Company? You and the people from the First Battalion will strengthen the security around the military camp and the village entrance. People from the First Company, follow me to the regimental headquarters..."
"Captain Shen!" Yin Chuan greeted Shen Xi. Shen Xi glanced at him, ignored him, and continued with his mission.
"Hey! Captain Shen--" Yin Chuan followed him closely regardless of whether he paid attention to him or not.
"What are you doing? Can't you see I'm busy?" Shen Xi said impatiently.
"What happened just now? Was there a sneak attack from the enemy?"
"This is a military secret, I will not disclose it to you."
As they spoke, they had already arrived at the regimental barracks. At this time, the battalion commanders, staff officers, adjutants, and others from each battalion had gathered in front of the regimental barracks, seemingly waiting for the regimental commander, Chen Hui, to give orders.
At this time, Shen Xi came to the door of the barracks and saw the figure of the regiment commander Shen Hui sitting at the military table under the light of the barracks. Just as he was about to go in, he was stopped by the guard at the door, "Captain Shen, the regiment commander has something to say. No one is allowed to enter without his order."
Shen Xi was stunned, "I can't do it too?"
"The leader said no one can do that."
Shen Xi angrily put his hands on his hips and shouted into the regimental barracks: "Brother! What do you mean? You won't even let me in, your brother?"
No one answered in the barracks, so Duan Da Ge stepped forward to dissuade him, "Captain Shen, you'd better not make such a loud noise. I can't bear the consequences if the regiment commander blames me."
Before Shen Xi could react, a resounding gunshot rang out from the barracks. Everyone outside was drawn to the sudden sound, their gazes darting towards the regimental headquarters. In that split second, an even stranger scene unfolded. After the gunshot, the head of Shen Hui, the regimental commander who was seated in the barracks, suddenly fell off his neck, leaving only his body standing upright beside the military table.
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