Chapter Sixty: A Letter from Luo Cheng

Wang Yachuan did not disappoint Chen Qingzhi’s expectations. He successfully intercepted the remnants of the defeated Luo Qing stronghold and wiped them out completely. Thus, the entire band of Luo Qing, including their chieftain Biao, was utterly destroyed.

When Wang Yachuan returned with his troops, everyone was overwhelmed with excitement. Facing more than a thousand bandits, they had managed, at almost no cost and with scarcely any casualties, to annihilate them all. Such a feat left the new recruits dumbfounded, scarcely able to believe their own eyes.

Once the battle report was compiled, the soldiers felt as if they were dreaming; everything seemed unreal. Yet, seeing the excitement that filled their comrades, they finally accepted this reality.

“Commander! Commander! We won! We won!” As soon as Wang Yachuan came back, he burst into Chen Qingzhi’s office, shouting with enthusiasm, “Commander, we wiped out the bandits of Luo Qing stronghold—all of them!”

“It’s just the clearing out of a bandit den, nothing worth making such a fuss about,” Chen Qingzhi glanced at Wang Yachuan, mildly reproaching him.

“Heh, I’m just too excited! I never imagined that not a single soldier would die! These new recruits really surprised me!” Wang Yachuan scratched his head and laughed sheepishly.

“Though this achievement is nothing remarkable, it has served as excellent training for the soldiers,” Chen Qingzhi said. “In the battle to eliminate Luo Qing stronghold, the soldiers’ demeanor changed. The growth of these new recruits has been transformative—this is the result I am most satisfied with.”

Speaking of this, Chen Qingzhi was very pleased; it was an unexpected delight.

Hearing this, Wang Yachuan nodded in agreement.

“All right, stop standing around here,” Chen Qingzhi waved his hand, indicating Wang Yachuan should leave. “After this battle, all you battalion commanders need to submit a post-battle summary—hand it to me when you’re done.”

“Yes, sir!”

Wang Yachuan saluted and left, still brimming with excitement.

After Wang Yachuan departed, Chen Qingzhi closed the door and locked it from the inside. He then took a letter out of the drawer.

A letter from Yan’an.

“To Qingzhi, personally.” The envelope bore these words, signed simply “Luo.”

Seeing this, Chen Qingzhi knew that Comrade Luo Cheng had written to him.

Since their separation on the battlefield at Nanjing, Chen Qingzhi had lost contact with Comrade Luo Cheng and the organization. Now, finally, he received a letter from Luo Cheng, and his emotions surged.

He calmed himself and opened the envelope.

“Comrade Qingzhi, when we met in Nanjing, I felt as though we had known each other for years, only to be separated by the Japanese invasion. After parting at Zhonghua Gate, I longed day and night for another meeting, but circumstances prevented it, and there seemed no hope.”

“Later, when I heard of Nanjing’s fall, I feared for your safety, even thinking you had perished at Zhonghua Gate. My heart was wracked with regret and sorrow, believing I would never again sit and converse with you by candlelight, wandering the night together. I lamented—heaven envies the talented.”

At this, Chen Qingzhi smiled, imagining the concern Comrade Luo Cheng must have felt upon hearing of Nanjing’s fall.

He missed Comrade Luo Cheng dearly.

Luo Cheng was the one who led him into the organization, the first party member Chen Qingzhi had met in the Republic. His eloquence, his ideals—all deeply admired by Chen Qingzhi.

Thinking thus, Chen Qingzhi continued reading:

“Yet fortune favors the virtuous. I never imagined you would achieve such unprecedented feats in Nanjing—destroying an entire Japanese regiment with a single battalion, and later killing the Sixth Division commander, Tani Shoufu. Hearing this, I was stunned and proud.”

“My feelings were complex: joy at your accomplishment, comfort at your prospects, and pride that I could bring such talent into our party.”

“To be able to strive alongside a hero like you, for the same ideals and faith, fills me with a sense of honor.”

“Your deeds are known to the Party and the Central Committee. The First Leader said you are an excellent comrade, highly appreciates you, and even praised you, saying such comrades must be given priority for development. Comrade Qingzhi, this is the organization’s recognition of you, and the Leader’s regard. I hope you will continue to fight bravely and bring glory to China.”

Reading this, Chen Qingzhi was thrilled. He hadn’t expected that his deeds would be known to the Central Committee and the First Leader, nor that he would be so highly regarded. His feelings swelled uncontrollably.

For this Leader, Chen Qingzhi felt nothing but admiration and respect. In his heart, receiving the Leader’s approval was the greatest encouragement.

“Because your situation is special, the Central Committee, after careful consideration, has decided to elevate your confidentiality level to the highest. That is, your true identity is known only to the First Leader and us—a handful at most.”

“To protect your identity and ensure your safety, the higher-ups assigned me as your sole contact. Apart from me, no one else knows your identity or can contact you.”

There followed some casual remarks, mostly Luo Cheng expressing his excitement. Further on, Chen Qingzhi read:

“When we parted at Zhonghua Gate, you entrusted me with organizing the evacuation of civilians. At the time, the evacuation from Nanjing was urgent. The organization did its utmost, but ultimately only managed to transfer seventy or eighty thousand people. Many remained. Comrade Qingzhi, I hope you won’t blame me.”

Reading this, Chen Qingzhi nodded.

Though only seventy or eighty thousand were evacuated, achieving this in such a short time meant the organization had done everything possible. There was regret that not all could be saved, but Chen Qingzhi knew it was impossible to evacuate the entire city so quickly.

Still…

Those who were not evacuated faced uncertain fate.

After leaving Nanjing, Chen Qingzhi’s independent brigade was stationed near Xuzhou. He often sent people to gather news about Nanjing, but no reliable information ever reached him.

He still did not know what had become of Nanjing.

Thinking this, Chen Qingzhi sighed, shook his head, and continued reading.

“Comrade Qingzhi, as the commander of the Independent Brigade, you will now be fighting the Japanese again and again. I hope that, while killing the enemy, you also protect yourself. I look forward to our reunion. When that day comes, we must talk through the night and drink until we are satisfied! I eagerly await that moment!”

“Your brother, Luo Cheng. Night of December 23rd, Year 26 of the Republic.”