German Red Prince

Page 115

When they left their hometowns, most of them were in their twenties. In the blink of an eye, more than twenty years have passed. Back then, they were called the Red Army or the Eighth Route Army. Now, they have a new name—the People's Liberation Army.

"Oh my god, Mom! Shuanzi's back! Did you see him? Shuanzi's back..."

A middle-aged man in his forties cried like a child. More than twenty years—how many twenty-year periods does one have in a lifetime? His parents were left behind forever in distant Xinjiang, carrying with them regret.

People hiding in their homes looked out their windows one by one. These days, it's rare to see an army of this size attacking. They didn't even know whose army it was.

Instead of burning, killing, looting, and conscripting men as they had imagined, the soldiers started crying outside, which puzzled the villagers greatly.

Seeing the strange scene outside, Zhao Pangui ran out. His grandmother had given him this name, saying that a team would definitely return in the future, and seeing the red flag would mean that they had come back.

Although Zhao Pangui was not even ten years old, he was the bravest in the whole village. When he saw the red flags of the army, he wondered if this was the army that his grandmother had been waiting for.

"Are you the Eighth Route Army?" Zhao Pangui ran up to Zhao Yan'an and asked.

“We are the Eighth Route Army, but we are now called the People’s Liberation Army,” Zhao Yan’an said to Zhao Pangui after regaining his composure.

Excited to get the answer, Zhao Pangui rushed home, shouting as she ran.

"Grandma, the Eighth Route Army is back! The Eighth Route Army is back!"

He rushed to his grandmother and said, "Grandma, the Eighth Route Army is back, but they say they are now called the People's Liberation Army."

The news spread like wildfire, and even those hiding in the houses saw the procession before them. Yes, they had returned, in a new identity—the true liberators, back to Yan'an!

Marshal Peng Dehuai, filled with excitement, sent a message to Xinjiang: the Northwest People's Liberation Army has successfully liberated Yan'an!

The red flag fluttered in the sky above Yan'an, and this scene was captured by Xinhua News Agency's frontline reporters and broadcast live to everyone watching on television in the rear. The excited people shed tears.

Chairman Mao also received the message from Marshal Peng Dehuai immediately. After reading the message, he handed the report to Zhou Enlai, lit a cigarette, and his hand trembled as he held the cigarette.

"Good, good, good!"

After saying "good" several times, the chairman couldn't find a suitable word to describe his feelings. After twenty years, they had finally returned.

"The long pass through Xiongguan is really like iron, but now we are crossing it from the beginning."

After reading the news, Zhou Enlai sighed, "This day has truly come."

"The Communist Party keeps its word. It is a promise made in every way. Whether it takes ten, twenty, one hundred, or two hundred years, the Communist Party of China will surely lead the Chinese people to break all shackles!"

In the broadcast, Chairman Mao declared in a resounding voice, "This is a declaration of war against all reactionaries. Those who kill us will only make us stronger!"

Please don't be cold to me about my bright future.

"Dear students, after hearing the story of Comrade Lenin's childhood, what are your aspirations?"

In the dilapidated classroom, Ivanova stood behind a broken table that could be temporarily called a "podium," looking at the innocent faces of the children below and asking them a question.

The temperature in Buryatia in January is still very low, not to mention being in this dilapidated classroom where the cold wind always seeps in through the windows. Ivanova braces herself on the table with both hands because her legs are now completely numb from the cold.

Although the government had issued winter education subsidies last week, a small stove obviously couldn't bring much warmth to the classroom. To make the children warmer, Ivanova had them sit together and placed the stove near them.

These children are obviously far more important than themselves; they are the future of Buryatia and the future of the Soviet Union.

"I want to become an architect."

A little boy stood up, vigorously wiped his nose with his sleeve, which had countless patches, and stood up with a smile, saying...

"When I grow up, I want to be an architect and build houses, big houses that don't let in drafts, so I won't have to light a stove when I'm studying."

“Very good, Unil. Your teacher also wishes you the best in realizing your dreams soon.”

"Thank you, teacher!"

Unil answered loudly and sat back down in his seat with a proud look on his face.

With Unil taking the lead, one child after another stood up and spoke enthusiastically. Some wanted to be truck drivers, some wanted to be railway workers, scientists, soldiers, shepherds, and so on.

"Alina, what about you?"

Ivanova noticed that there was one person who hadn't spoken yet. Alina was the youngest child in the class. Her mother had taken her on a journey from Moscow to Buryatia during the Great Collapse of the 1950s, and her father had been among the Red Army soldiers who lost about a million lives during the Battle of Moscow.

Alina was the youngest and didn't talk much, but her classmates all liked her. Ivanova had also been displaced to Buryat during the Great Rear Area Plan, so she took good care of Alina.

“I want to become a doctor, cure my mother’s illness, and then take her to find my father,” Alina said softly, standing up and blinking.

"Your teacher believes in you. Alina will definitely become the best doctor." Ivanova held back her tears and encouraged Alina.

Alina's mother was already ill when she was transferred to Buryatia, and this strong mother collapsed after bringing her child to safety.

Despite receiving treatment, the pain and torment she endured along the way caused her mental health issues. She would often head west, saying she wanted to return to Moscow to find her husband.

“Yes, we believe in you too.” Alina’s classmates also encouraged her, “We believe in you, Alina, you will definitely be able to bring your mother back to Moscow.”

The mention of Moscow sparked curiosity among the students, who, whose parents and elders had never left Buryatia, also became curious about the distant land.

"Teacher, what kind of place is Moscow?"

“Moscow?” Ivanova looked into the distance, as if recalling her childhood in Moscow. “It’s a very beautiful place.”

Ever since Otto went south to find "comrades in the south," Sablin would stand at the crossroads almost every day waiting for him. Buryatia was in dire need of rebuilding after the war.

The "comrades in the south" have always maintained good trade relations with Irkutsk, so Sablin didn't know whether Otto's "old friendship" could be exchanged for aid from Xinjiang.

January has such awful weather. Sablin rubbed his ears and stomped his feet at the crossroads. According to Otto, today should be the day he returns, but he didn't know if he had succeeded.

Several small black dots appeared on the road in the distance. Sablin's eyes widened, and then he stared incredulously at the trucks approaching from afar—one, two, three... fifty trucks!

"Valisi!"

Otto jumped out of the car excitedly and hugged Sablin. "Xinjiang agreed! They're willing to help us, you know? It's not just these fifty truckloads of supplies, this is just the first batch, there are two hundred in total! Two hundred!"

Looking at the excited Otto, Sablin could hardly believe his ears. Two hundred truckloads of supplies? Was he dreaming? Were the comrades in the south really this generous?

“Valisi, I’ve said it before, the comrades in the south are very idealistic and have strong beliefs. I could feel it when they were on the Long March. They would definitely be willing to help us.”

“They have built Xinjiang into a very beautiful place, and I believe they will definitely win the final victory.” After saying that, Otto took out a few more books. “These are books written by Chairman Mao. He summarized my mistakes during the Long March. I admire him very much. You are still young, and sometimes you are too impulsive in your actions. Managing a country is not a simple matter, so I asked him for a few books. You should read them more often.”

Sablin readily accepted Otto's teachings. Otto had always played the role of a father and teacher in Sablin's heart, teaching him many things, so Sablin respected him very much.

"I will, I will definitely study it. Thank you to my comrades in the South."

Sablin took the book, wiped his eyes, and thought that with so many supplies, Buryat could finally get through the winter safely.

Notes (Part 1)

The old year has passed. In 1961, many things were accomplished. Since the goal of westward expansion was set in 1945, after nearly twenty years of hard work, the entire Xinjiang region has undergone tremendous changes.

In past meetings, Chairman Mao also called on everyone to build Xinjiang into China's "California" and to develop cities such as Urumqi and Yili into China's Los Angeles and San Diego.

Although these words may sound somewhat ridiculous, the people and soldiers of Xinjiang are united and striving toward this goal, believing that they can achieve it one day. After all, more than ten years ago, who among the local people would have believed that they could have enough to eat, or that someone could have driven away the bandits that had been talked about since their grandfathers' generation?

The date of the Eighth Party Congress is getting closer and closer. This is the first serious meeting they will hold since they moved to Xinjiang. They need to summarize the development achievements of the past few years, correct the problems they have encountered, and plan for the future. There are many things to do, and it is very troublesome.

As the leader of the entire Xinjiang Soviet government, Chairman Mao was always one of the last to go to bed. The guards standing at the door coughed themselves hoarse trying to remind him to go to sleep, but there was still no sound from inside.

The chairman has been staying up late a lot lately, which has caused him to get a sore in his mouth. It hurts terribly, but he has made good use of the sore. When he feels sleepy, he licks it and his energy immediately returns.

After writing the document for the meeting, it was almost time. Chairman Mao opened the drawer, intending to put the document in, but as soon as he opened the drawer, he found a notebook lying inside, even though it should have been empty.

Chairman Mao couldn't remember when he had put anything in it. He picked up the notebook and examined it closely. The notebook was really beautiful, very clean, and smooth to the touch.

A notebook of this quality would be a rare find even in Xinjiang, but he didn't remember owning one. Could someone have sent it to him? But who would give him a notebook for no reason?

With these questions in mind, Chairman Mao opened the notebook. The pages inside were clean, but the first few pages didn't contain any serious notes; they were just messy handwriting.

Looking at these handwritings, Chairman Mao became even more puzzled. Upon closer inspection, he found several ancient poems, some mathematical formulas, and even a few English vocabulary words.

"Such a fine notebook for drafting, how extravagant!" Mao Zedong couldn't help but exclaim, though he still couldn't figure out who had put this notebook in his drawer.

After flipping through a few pages, he finally saw the actual content. However, the more Chairman Mao read, the more he felt something was amiss. The things recorded in the notebook were beyond his comprehension.

"On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded, ushering in a new era in Chinese history. From then on, China ended more than 100 years of humiliation and subjugation, truly becoming an independent and sovereign nation. The founding of the new China strengthened the forces of world peace, democracy, and socialism, and inspired countless oppressed nations and oppressed peoples around the world in their struggle for liberation."

"In the 1950s, Mao Zedong called on China to 'develop artificial satellites,' and China's aerospace technology developed from scratch and from small to large."

"In 1964, China successfully detonated its first atomic bomb. In 1967, China successfully detonated its first hydrogen bomb. In 1970, China successfully launched its first artificial satellite, Dongfanghong-1, becoming the fifth country in the world, after the Soviet Union, the United States, France, and Japan, to independently launch an artificial Earth satellite."

Looking at the notes, Mao Zedong was instantly wide awake, because this was completely different from the history he knew. After the great defeat in 1945, the base areas began to move westward. The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949? In 1949, they were still fighting against the reactionary forces in Xinjiang.

"Strange, strange, strange"

After reading a series of things he couldn't understand, Mao Zedong wrote down his annotations. This was a long-standing reading habit of his; he always made annotations after finishing a book.

But just as he was about to close the notebook, something even stranger happened: the words he had just written were circled in red, and a question mark was added next to them.

This was quite strange. Mao Zedong was wide awake at this point, and he picked up his pen again to write. There was a quick response from the other side, though the handwriting was much more sloppy, suggesting that the writer was very excited.

"who are you?"

"I am Mao Zedong. Comrade, who are you?"

After he finished writing, there was no response for a long time. Just as Mao Zedong was about to close the notebook, there was finally a response.

"6"

6? What does that mean? After waiting for ages, a number appeared on the notebook. Could it be the name of the person on the other end?

Before I could think about it, more words popped up in the notebook, and the amount was quite large.

"Are you really Chairman Mao?"

What year is it?

"Have they started fighting Chiang Kai-shek yet? Or are they still fighting in the Korean War?"

"Are you on the Long March? I have a way with the Long March too. Just tell me the time, and I'll leak the exam questions to you directly, Chairman."

Looking at these words, Mao Zedong sighed, "It is now 1962. I have read what you remembered before, but that seems to be your history. We are still in Xinjiang resisting Japan."

"Are they still fighting the Japanese? What about Big Brother? What about the Soviet Union? What about the United States? Aren't they going to do something about it?"

"The Soviet Union under Bukharin's leadership had been defeated by Germany, and the Americans did not participate in the war."

"So that means we failed?" The other person was silent for a moment before carefully writing these words down.

"No, comrade, we have not failed. Although the Soviet Union has collapsed, there are still many staunch communists fighting against fascism. A single spark can start a prairie fire. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, we will not give up."

"It's a pity that your history is different from ours, and I don't know how to help you." Suddenly, it seemed as if someone had thought of something else. "I kept this notebook in my drawer. Since you can see it, Chairman, perhaps I can send something else over."

"Chairman, try opening the drawer again."

Chairman Mao opened the cabinet again as instructed, and surprisingly, he succeeded; a cardboard box lay inside the drawer.

Some background information about the new book

I'm preparing to start a new book; I'm currently brainstorming and saving drafts, and the release date is yet to be determined.

Because the story's background differs from reality, some readers may not understand the next book at first. Here's some background information.

The story background of the next book combines elements from Hearts of Iron IV, the TNO module, including "Spark," "The East Is Red," and "The Light Over Lake Baikal," with some adjustments made.

After Lenin's death, Bukharin emerged victorious in the political struggle. Roosevelt was assassinated in 1933, and the United States' economic problems remained unresolved. World War II broke out in 1939, and the Soviet-German War broke out in 1941. The Soviet Union, which had not yet completed its industrialization, suffered a crushing defeat. During his retreat to the Ural Mountains, German bombers took Bukharin's life. In the war against the Soviet Union, Germany achieved a great victory.

In Asia, due to the defeats of Britain and France, China was unable to obtain effective foreign aid. The Battle of Changsha ended in a disastrous defeat for the Chinese army. In the Pacific theater, because the United States' economy had not recovered effectively, coupled with Germany's victory in the European theater, in 1945, two planes took off from Germany and dropped two bombs on Pearl Harbor, after which the United States withdrew from World War II.

In 1938, in a cave dwelling in Yan'an, Mao Zedong wrote "On Protracted War." The defeats on the Chinese battlefield and in the international anti-fascist war made him realize the protracted nature of this war.

In 1943, Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Nationalist government, died in the Chongqing bombing. At this time, Mao Zedong also issued an order to advance westward in preparation for a protracted war of resistance.

In 1945, after two years of struggling, the Nationalist government negotiated peace with Japan and established a cooperative government. Just as Mao Zedong had expected, after the Nationalist government negotiated peace with the Japanese army, former comrades-in-arms turned on the enemy to show their loyalty, and the Central Committee had no choice but to abandon Yan'an and move westward.

In order to prevent being attacked from both sides and to meet the needs of a protracted war of resistance, the Central Committee convened the Lanzhou Conference in 1957, which proposed to move the base area to the western Xinjiang region. After three years of arduous fighting, Lin Biao's Western Route Army successfully liberated Dihua. Sure enough, not long after, the Ma Clique army colluded with the Japanese and made a comeback, beginning to strangle the People's Government.

The year was now 1962. The Red Army had successfully established a foothold in northern Xinjiang and was working to strengthen its control over southern Xinjiang.

The last sparks of revolution flickered in the desolate northwest. Across the world, anti-fascist forces were also actively fighting. Would the world be in a state where, as Mao Zedong once said, a single spark could start a prairie fire?

The next book will introduce some of the people and government involved.

1. The Spark in the Northwest—Xinjiang (China's last remaining force against Japanese aggression; can Mao Zedong lead the Chinese people to break the shackles of the old world, as he promised?)

2. The Long Road Home – The Story of Mao Anying (After Mao Anying's disastrous defeat in Moscow, he lost contact with his father. Everyone believed he died in the Ural bombing that year. However, in the vast Siberia, a story about the hero Seryozha is told: the long road home for the wanderer.)

3. Eternal Idealism – The Buryat Journey (After the Soviet Union's defeat in World War II, it was dismembered. Who would unify Russia? This was a question in everyone's mind. Sablin was an optimist. Lenin's thought would eventually shine again. Lenin was so young. The young October people marched forward. The battle would continue. Their hearts pounded in their chests. Warning! Set sail!)

If you'd like to join the cast, feel free to apply! Also, please feel free to offer any suggestions for adding to or enriching the story; we'll consider any suitable suggestions. (?ω?)

叛徒