District 9

Today's celebration banquet was held in the courtyard of the division headquarters, because there is currently no large venue in Chongqing that can accommodate 6,000 or 7,000 people. However, Qin Yu's rigid condition for the Autonomous Association is that the banquet must be dominated by front-line soldiers. Officers and soldiers participated together.

Therefore, the Autonomous Association had no choice but to temporarily build a thermal shed outdoors and bring in a lot of heating equipment to keep the soldiers warm.

The reason why Qin Yu asked the soldiers to attend the celebration banquet was not to show the grandeur of Sichuan to guests from outside, but because he felt that the heroes of the Battle of Yandao were the grassroots soldiers who were not afraid of death. In some words, they must be Talk to this group of people.

In the lounge of the division headquarters, Qin Yu called Gu Yan for a while and asked him about his marriage, but they did not talk in too much detail. Because Qin Yu knew that he could not make the decision on Gu Yan's marriage, and he had to take care of things next week, but at the moment he was still staying in the Northwest Advance Army to deal with the follow-up incidents. This shows that he had no regard for his own affairs. There is dissatisfaction in marriage, but there is nothing you can do about it.

After making the call, Qin Yu took the people from the division to the rostrum.

In the courtyard, nearly 6,000 soldiers were seated below, divided into six square formations, with their backs straight and their postures upright, waiting for the meeting to begin.

The meeting was divided into three processes: the first process was for Qi Lin, Daya and others to commend the officers and soldiers with outstanding military exploits, such as awarding military medals and bonuses, and the division headquarters announced the list of promotions.

The second process is Qin Yu's speech, and the third process is the opening of the banquet.

The first process involved a lot of people, and almost all the soldiers present had military merit, so it took more than two hours before it was over.

After everything was settled, Qin Yu stepped out of the podium and stood next to the microphone. He didn't prepare any speech and just brought a glass of white wine.

The venue was quiet. Qin Yu stared at the people in the audience. He was silent for a while and said: "Five minutes before the meeting started, the staff officer of the division just finished writing the speech for me. I glanced at it briefly and saw what was written on it. Even I don’t understand what it means, so it’s useless.”

"Ha ha!"

The soldiers laughed.

"Every veteran in Sichuan Mansion knows that I, Qin Yu, am not a son of a high-ranking cadre. I have been working in the area to be planned since I was a child. So if you ask me to speak in official terms and clichés, I feel guilty." Qin Yu held the wine glass. , said with a serious face: "Two words! To be honest, I, Qin Yu, suffered a lot of infamy during the Battle of Yandao, especially the local people in Sichuan Prefecture. On the surface, they called me Master Qin, but secretly they scolded me. I am Qin Heizi, the warlord of Qin. I said that I wanted to attack Yandao to please the Eighth District, to support my family business, and even to get more political resources in the three districts... In short, I said something like that. Yes, but I have never been angry. Why? Because there are wars and people die. This is a fact."

When the soldiers and officers below heard this, they all fell silent with serious faces.

"It is true that many people have been sacrificed, but you want to ask me, do I regret it? I will tell everyone that the Sichuan Autonomous Association and the division have never regretted the attack on Yandao." Qin Yu glanced at the venue and spoke. He said sonorously: "Why? Let's not talk about the military importance of taking Yandao. Let's talk about its impact on the people of Sichuan! Since the end of the Yandao War, the three major districts have a market value of more than one billion. There are a total of thirty-five self-governing federations that have contacted us, and twelve super government-owned enterprises with more than five billion yuan have contacted us. Why are they suddenly so interested in our Sichuan government? That is because this is not yet The undeveloped island group is like a natural treasure. The industrial salt and edible salt here feed half of the Asian Union. Subsequent construction and development will also generate massive economic value. They see the prospects here. , so they want to invest in us. And can we let them take advantage in vain? If they want to get the Yandao project, they have to invest in Sichuan and help us with economic cultivation, which will solve our employment problem of a large number of people. , will boost the overall economy of Sichuan. We are poor here, and if we are poor, we must think about changes! Comrades, war is not the ultimate goal. Finding a way out and development is the mission that our generation shoulders! To use your name, since I came to Sichuan Province, I, Qin Laohei, first established the autonomous government, then established judicial institutions, engaged in investment, and engaged in people's livelihood... The financial department once thought that I was enriching my own pockets and laundering money. , put it in your pocket..."

"Ha ha!"

The audience burst into laughter again.

"I want to say that our current government may not be doing a good job in many places, but... we want to do something for everyone, that's it!" Qin Yu raised his wine glass and shouted in a loud voice: " This glass of wine is dedicated to you, to the generals, officers, and soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the front line! It is you who made Sichuan Mansion full of guests and guests from all over the world today. Today is a celebration banquet and a day of remembrance. Let us remember those who did not come back. The person’s name! Cheers!!”

The six or seven thousand people below heard the sound and all stood up and shouted like a wave: "Respect our comrades, respect our martyrs, respect our teachers!"

"Done!!" Qin Yu shouted and drank it all in one gulp.

At the guest table near the rostrum, officers, generals, Feng Lei and others from Songjiang looked at the uniform and astonishing Sichuan army, and felt physically and mentally the Sichuan army's growing strength and terrifying centripetal force.

"Okay, no more talk. Let's drink and eat. Let's get the atmosphere going!" Qin Yu waved his hand and left with the wine glass in hand.

The host of the Autonomous Association stepped forward, took the microphone and shouted: "The banquet is officially open!"

After the banquet started, many guests from far away went to Qin Yu's place to toast and congratulate him.

…

Offstage.

The soldiers began to move around, looking for their comrades and brothers, toasting each other and talking nonsense.

At a wine table at the edge of the venue, a company-level officer leaned on a cane and bared his teeth and said to a man in his thirties: "Okay, Lao Liu, after this conference is over, I will be the deputy battalion from now on." chant!"

"Haha, didn't you mention it too?"

"What's the point of mentioning it? My legs are useless. I can only work in the logistics department from now on." The company-level officer said the most poignant words in a joking tone.

"Oh, it's good to go to the logistics department. You don't have to go to the front line anymore. It's very safe." Old Liu advised, raised his glass and shouted: "Come on, let's have a drink together, the first-term veteran officers of Sichuan Province!"

"Come on, have a drink!"

More than 20 people stood up together, smelling of alcohol. At this moment, Old Liu had an idea and said to the company-level officer: "Xiao Lai, I remember that you sing very well? Come on, sing a song for everyone. Add to the fun!”

"Singing nonsense, you can just drink it."

"Fuck, today is a happy day, let's sing one."

"Yes, let's sing one!"

The crowd cheered and persuaded.

Xiao Lai blinked his eyes, leaned on the cane and thought for a long time before replying: "What are you singing?"

"Just sing what you are best at. Love the country more than the beauty." Old Liu said.

"Where the hell are there beauties here?!" Xiao Lai smiled helplessly, nodded and said, "Okay, let's sing one."

Everyone was quiet, and the cold wind blew slowly. Xiao Lai held his crutch in his right hand and sang softly.

The road cannot end the extravagant love in the world of mortals

I can't tell all the grudges in the world

Destiny from generation to generation

bleeding the same blood

drinking the same water

This road is long and long

As the singing started, the surroundings were quiet, the cold wind continued to blow, and the aroma of wine filled the air. Xiao Lai sang, but his voice became choked inexplicably.

The laughter disappeared, and the soldiers at the table next to him all looked here, staring at Xiao Lai.

The soldiers who came down from the front line one by one were either wrapped in bandages, or had plasters or steel plates on their arms. They stood in the cold wind, and under the influence of alcohol, they inexplicably sang together with Xiao Lai.

The solo quickly infected the area and eventually turned into a chorus for the entire venue.

Good boy, full of courage,

The ambition and passion are famous all over the world!

Life is only a few autumns, don’t give up until you get drunk.

To the east is my beauty, to the west is the Yellow River.

Come on, have a drink, don't stop until you're drunk.

Don't worry about worries.

The chorus of six to seven thousand people was impassioned. Every soldier who was brave and fearless on the front line collapsed at this moment, and they cried together.

Good boy, full of courage!

They remembered the scene of the 4,000 men who unexpectedly attacked the enemy's No. 1 military port, and the heroic scene of the 117 comrades raising the red flag and dying in the reserve.

They remembered the friends and comrades who jumped down from the cliff one by one when they landed on Salt Island, their bodies burning with fire...

On the rostrum, the officers, who were as determined as steel, hugged each other and cried like children. Daya lowered his head and said with tears: "Four thousand people... we only came back with 827... and the rest are all dead."

Qin Yu turned his head, his face covered with tears. He thought of Ou Xiaobin and everything he said to him before setting off.

Come on, have a drink, don't stop until you're drunk...