CCTnovel Chapter 1519 - 287: All Partings Must Come
Chapter 1519 - 287: All Partings Must Come
There is no banquet in the world that does not end.Unconsciously, a month has passed, and the Special Warfare Group of the 105th Army has completed the naval training tasks perfectly. The officers and soldiers cleaned the inside and outside of the camp area spotlessly and prepared their luggage and equipment, ready to return to their station.
Leaders such as Secretary Lu, Mayor Qin, Commander Wang, Political Commissioner Chen, Secretary Qian from Linghai, Mayor Shen, and Captain Xia of the Binjiang Reserve Regiment, Minister Yang from Linghai Armed Forces Department came to Linghai Reserve Camp especially to see off the troops.
The Binjiang Ship will close for visits at 5 p.m. today and will return tomorrow morning.
Because of this, Han Yu is not very busy today; in fact, no matter how busy, he has to come to Sanhe to see off the special operations officers and soldiers.
The entire group of officers and soldiers lined up in the camp area, along with nearly five hundred logistics support personnel from the Linghai Reserve Camp and the temporarily formed Auto Company and Guard Company officers and soldiers.
They stood upright, neatly and orderly, exuding an atmosphere of a battlefield autumn military inspection.
According to the pre-planned agenda, the Military District first conducted commendations.
Political Commissioner Chen presided over the ceremony and invited Secretary Lu, in his capacity as the First Political Commissioner of the Binjiang Military District, to present the honorary certificate to Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang of the 105th Army. Then invited Commander Wang and Secretary Qian, the First Political Commissioner of Linghai Armed Forces Department, to present honorary certificates to the main military and political officers of the Special Warfare Group.
This was somewhat like the annual troops handover ceremony, where the Military District and Armed Forces Department presented certificates to excellent troop-handling cadres.
The second agenda was the commendation of Linghai Armed Forces Department, Dongqi Armed Forces Department, Linghai Reserve Camp, Linghai Police Bureau, Dongqi Police Bureau, and other units, as well as individuals like Yang Jianbo, Sun Youyi, Liu Degui, Liang Xiaoyu, Guo Weitao, Zhang Wuya, Liang Xiaojun, Han Xiangmeng for their outstanding completion of support tasks during the Special Warfare Group’s training.
Compared to commending the 105th Army Special Warfare Group, commending one’s own subordinates was more practical.
Several units received collective third-level merits, and individual performers either got third-level merits or commendations!
The third agenda was the presentation of a banner saying "Heart for national defense, affection stationed with officers and soldiers" by the group captain and political commissioner of the Special Warfare Group to express the most heartfelt gratitude to the Linghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.
Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang was entrusted by the military committee to present a banner saying "Heart for national defense, resounding sound of supporting the military, military and local government hand in hand to build a steel Great Wall" to the Binjiang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.
Secretary Lu, Mayor Wang, Secretary Qian from Linghai, Mayor Shen were very pleased to receive the banners and respectively represented the Binjiang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, and Linghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government in gifting banners to the 105th Army and Special Warfare Group.
You give me, I give you.
Everyone returns with a banner hanging, and nobody goes back empty-handed.
Han Yu was amazed, thinking how interestingly they play!
...
With a command from Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang, all officers and soldiers turned left in unison, boarding vehicles systematically as units.
Seeing off comrades, embarking on the journey, silent tears in two eyes, camel bells sounding in the ears.
The road is long, the mist dim, parting often in the revolutionary life, similar departure different feelings, comrades oh comrades, dear brothers...
The farewell song echoed in the sky above the camp area.
The officers and soldiers have formed deep camaraderie during their month of living together, and Liu Degui couldn’t help but recall the scene of sending his comrades home upon their discharge when returning from the Old Mountain Frontline with the smell of gunpowder still lingering, singing with old tears flowing.
Reserve soldiers Yang Jianbo, Sun Youyi, Xiao Yu, Guo Weitao, Ma Jintao, and Zhang Erxiao tightly gripped the hands of old comrades like Li Shousong and Master Dai, tears streaming down their faces.
Female colleagues are more emotional than their male counterparts.
Han Xiangmeng and Bai Li were already crying, standing on the side constantly waving goodbye to the special operations officers and soldiers waiting for the bus.
After saying goodbye to the city leaders, Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang walked quickly to Han Yu: "Salted Fish, we are leaving! How come you’re crying too; real men shed blood and sweat but not tears!"
"No, I didn’t cry."
"Let’s keep in touch often, we might come back next year."
"Commander, I’ll see you off."
"No need to see me off, you’re so busy, we can’t impact your work anymore, besides, Secretary Lu, Mayor Wang, and Commander Wang have all arranged it."
Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang patted Han Yu’s arm, then turned and saluted Secretary Lu and other city leaders again, and boarded the second car of the Military District accompanied by Master Dai.
Police lights flashing, sirens piercing.
Three military vehicles and five large buses rented by the Military District from Binjiang Long-distance Bus Company drove out of the camp area in succession under police escort.
The city leaders, each busier than the next, after watching the convoy of special operations officers and soldiers depart, also left by car.
The extremely lively camp area instantly became cold and deserted.
Liu Degui, looking at the officers and soldiers of the disbanded Auto Company and Guard Company, busy returning home, felt discomfort in his heart, wiped his tears, lit a cigarette, and asked softly: "Salted Fish, when they came they took a plane, why are they taking a car back?"
"At first, I also thought paratroopers would fly no matter where they go, but later learned that flying is not easy for them. They came last time because they happened to coincide with the flight unit’s transition training, even if they didn’t come, those transport planes would fly to Gaoru military airport."
Han Yu came with a police car from the division today, while waiting for his sister-in-law’s couple to pack their luggage and return to the dormitory, continued: "Now the conditions are much better; although they rarely have the chance to fly when traveling, there are planes during parachuting training. I visited their honor room, in the past when transport planes were scarce, they could only build a high tower, organizing officers and soldiers to climb up and conduct low-altitude parachute training.
High-altitude parachuting is more dangerous than low-altitude, without planes, they could only risk their lives for cost-effective and time-saving balloon ascension to train parachuting. Later, the country imported six Mi-6 helicopters from the Soviet Union, and superior assigned 3 of them to them, thus improving training conditions."
Ride a hot air balloon into the sky, then parachute down.
Just think about it, a hot air balloon seems unreliable. What if it catches fire during ascent? What if it encounters strong winds at high altitude?
Liu Degui listened with a secret alarm, puffing away on his cigarette without saying anything.
In the morning, the slogan "Use me for the first battle, and victory is assured with me" resonated loudly.
Now, the words "Use me for the first battle, and victory is assured with me" exist only on the courtyard walls.
Yang Jianbo also felt disheartened, approaching with a forced lightness and said, "Director Han, we’re only sending off the Special Warfare Group. After you send off the Special Warfare Group, you still have to send off the Binjiang Ship. How is the send-off ceremony preparation going? Do you need our help?"
"The send-off ceremony is organized by the city, it’s not much related to me."
Han Yu peeked at the fourth floor, pondered, and then curiously asked, "The city leadership gave a banner to the 105th Army, its content sounds like poetry, quite imposing. Who wrote it, exactly?"
"Soaring in the sky with a long tassel, Cutting through waves to bind the dragon. Dedicated loyalty forging sharp blades, Fearless and brave paratroopers!"
"Yes, exactly those four lines."
"Instructor Li."
"Which Instructor Li?"
"The one who’s an old colleague of Chief Ding and President Zhang, the Instructor Li who watched you grow up!"
Before retirement, Li Weiguo was a public security policeman, considered a rough person, yet he was likely the most talented old comrade in the Linghai Police Bureau.
He truly could write poetry, whenever moved by the scene, he could produce verses effortlessly.
Han Yu came to realize this, pondered, and then pursued, "Instructor Li is different from Ge Diao; he’s truly retired. He doesn’t get involved unless it’s something important. How could he possibly help the city leadership write a banner? Chances are they don’t even know him."
"President Zhang invited Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang to a meal, inviting Instructor Li as company. Wu Heng’s family also invited Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang to a meal and invited Instructor Li there as company as well. This poem was created by Instructor Li at the dinner party, initially said as a catchy phrase. I was there during that meal. I thought it sounded imposing, so I memorized it."
"And then?"
"Later, both the city and our Linghai wanted to give banners to the 105th Army and the Special Warfare Group, handled entirely by our Armed Forces Department. The phrasing on the banners was a real headache for the Political Work Department. I felt it didn’t sound imposing enough, so I suggested using Instructor Li’s poem. I didn’t expect it to be quickly approved by the higher-ups."
Instructor Li couldn’t be compared with Old Zhang or Old Ding, nor with Old Ge.
He’s truly retired, not involved in "second employment," relying solely on that bit of retirement pension.
Han Yu joked half-seriously, "Since the city used Instructor Li’s poem—even if it’s just a catchy phrase—they should pay him a writing fee, or else it’s plagiarism, infringing on Instructor Li’s intellectual property."
Yang Jianbo wholeheartedly agreed, hastily saying, "That’s right! I’ll report back to Minister Yang tomorrow. Expenses arising from logistical support during this period have not been reimbursed yet. It can certainly be counted as part of support funds."
Talking about support funds, Han Yu curiously asked, "Did the Special Warfare Group give any food expenses?"
"They did, gave them last night."
"Is it enough?"
"What do you think?"
Recalling the situation during the anti-flood efforts years ago, Han Yu chuckled, "Does that mean we’ll subsidize again?"
"Less than three hundred people came only for a month, so even if we subsidize, it won’t be by much." Yang Jianbo laughed, adding, "Besides, Linghai now isn’t the Linghai from two years ago. Linghai has money, and this money is joyfully spent by the leaders."
Such is the case for dual support work, such is spending money, and supporting logistics for elite troop training couldn’t be more worthwhile!
Han Yu realized Secretary Qian and Mayor Shen really were willing to spend that money and curiously asked, "Didn’t the city provide some consideration?"
"The city didn’t fund anything but did visit for condolences."
Yang Jianbo glanced back and then leaned close to Han Yu’s ear, "Compared to the Special Warfare Group, the city values the Binjiang Ship more, because it’s a warship named after Binjiang. Perhaps in the minds of Secretary Lu, Mayor Wang, and other city leaders, the Special Warfare Group only has ties with our Linghai, and not much with Binjiang."
Environment truly can influence people.
Yang Jianbo, having only been transferred to the Linghai Armed Forces Department for a few days, kept saying "our Linghai."
Han Yu found it amusing, as Han Xiangmeng ran over with the canvas bag issued by superiors for flood rescue, asking, "San’er, have you been waiting long?"
"Not at all." Han Yu smiled and asked, "Where’s Xiao Jun?"
"He’s coming down soon."
"He’s earned merit again, we need to celebrate tonight!"
"No problem!" In spending money, Han Xiangmeng is far more generous than Mayor Han, smiling and saying, "Ai Tong’s been here many days, and I haven’t seen him or his girlfriend. San’er, how about we go eat at the restaurant where Ai Tong works tonight?"
"Sure, their place is having a trial run today." Han Yu thought for a moment and then said worriedly, "I might not be able to join. Tonight, the city is hosting a banquet to send off Binjiang Ship’s officers, we missed the welcoming banquet, and I can’t skip the send-off banquet."