Red Crossing Chapter 9

Chapter 1: Murder Pang Laosan had long since gambled away his ancestral home, and he used to live in a dilapidated thatched hut. After becoming the head of the farmers' association, he occupied the Pang family ancestral hall, using it as the association's office and living there himself. Pang Xiaohu planned to act according to circumstances and deal with Pang Laosan first. Otherwise, even if he rescued his father, Pang Dashan, he would still cause trouble later, and he couldn't stay in Pangjia Village every step of the way to protect his family. Pang Laosan was still awake. He was sitting there with his two cronies, drinking and chatting. Pang Xiaohu leaned closer to the window and heard the people inside seemingly discussing something quietly. Unfortunately, the voices were too soft to hear clearly. After a while, the three people inside stood up from the table and came out. They were talking as they walked out. This time, Xiaohu understood clearly: they wanted to borrow an ox from a villager. Xiaohu had already heard his mother mention that borrowing oxen was a common way Pang Laosan extorted money from villagers. Oxen are the treasures of farmers; who would lend out their own draft oxen for free, especially during the busy farming season? The villagers of Pangjia Village dared not offend Pang Laosan, so they would usually treat them to a good meal and drinks, and give them "gifts" like tobacco and smoked meat when they left. Otherwise, they would call a large group of farmers' association members to forcibly take the oxen away. As they walked, they would discuss whose wife was the most beautiful. One of them, nicknamed Lao Qi, said, "My favorite woman in the whole Pangjia Village is Wang Yumei, Pang Dashan's wife. Just seeing her big breasts makes my dick hard. If I could sleep with her someday, I'd be content for life." Another, nicknamed Er Gouzi, chimed in, "Lao Qi, how did you end up with that slut Wang Yumei? I saw Pang Dashan's dick when he was bathing in the river; it's much thicker than yours. She's been fucked by her husband for so many years; she definitely wouldn't like your little dick." Lao Qi retorted, "Who says she doesn't like me? I saw her at the village entrance last time; she even smiled at me, looking so gentle. If there hadn't been so many people around, I would have reached out and touched her breasts. I'm sure she'd let me touch them." Er Gouzi said, "That depends on whether you have the guts. Pang Dashan isn't someone to mess with. Don't you remember your cousin getting his leg broken by him with a carrying pole?" Pang Laosan joined in with a laugh, saying, "You want to sleep with Wang Yumei? That's easy! Pang Dashan's son is the manager of Nan Dechang, the big tyrant of Yelin Town. At the township meeting, Committee Member Hu said that landlords' lackeys are also counter-revolutionaries. Pang Dashan is the father of one of those lackeys and he even beat up people from our peasant association, so he's definitely a counter-revolutionary too. Next month, the township is going to hold a public trial for those counter-revolutionaries who have already been arrested, including Li Laocai from Lijia Village, County Magistrate Wang's brother-in-law, and Nan Dechang's cousin. I told Committee Member Hu to include Pang Dashan too. After the meeting, they'll all be dragged out and executed. Then you can sleep with his wife as you please! Don't touch his two unmarried daughters, keep them for me." Lao Qi and Er Gouzi nodded happily, saying, "Of course, of course." Pang Laosan continued, "That city woman, Committee Member Hu, is really something. She's pretty, her breasts and buttocks are a bit small, but her skin is smooth and tender, I drool just looking at her, tsk tsk." Lao Qi and Er Gouzi, hearing this, fawned over him, saying, "Chairman Pang, if you can please Committee Member Hu, then all the dozen or so villages around here will listen to you! Then we brothers can also live a life of luxury. Hahahaha." Pang Laosan said, "It's not that easy. There are too many rules in the Communist Party, this isn't allowed, that isn't allowed, it's really annoying. I'm actively trying to prove myself, I estimate I can join the Party next month. Only after joining the Party can one truly become an official and wield real power." Pang Xiaohu had been secretly following them, looking for an opportunity to strike. Hearing them insult and abuse his mother, Wang Yumei, he was furious. Later, he heard Pang Laosan call him a lackey and say that Committee Member Hu from the city had agreed that his father, Pang Dashan, would be executed after the public trial next month. Xiao Hu was shocked. It seemed Li Wanchun and his stepfather hadn't told his second sister, Pang Xinghua, the truth; their promises to protect Pang Dashan were all unreliable. Luckily, he overheard this news today; otherwise, it would have been too late once the public trial began. Pang Xiao Hu drew the pistol from his waist and chambered a round. He hadn't intended to kill Pang Laosan; he only wanted to cripple his legs so he couldn't continue his evil deeds. According to later legal concepts, Pang Laosan wasn't yet deserving of death. But after hearing their conversation, he realized this was a life-or-death struggle. If you didn't kill him, he would kill you tomorrow. At this moment, the three of them stopped in front of a house. Er Gouzi went up and knocked on the door. Since Pang Xiao Hu had decided to commit murder, the fewer people who knew, the better, and ideally, the body should be destroyed. Although this place was remote, a gunshot would definitely alert this family. This was his hometown; he couldn't just kill everyone he saw, could he? Therefore, he could only stay outside for the time being, waiting for them to come out before following them to a slightly farther distance to make his move. The door opened, and Pang Laosan and his men went in one after another. Xiao Hu squatted quietly outside the door, waiting. He seemed uneasy, but he couldn't figure out why. After a while, the sound of a child crying and a woman screaming came from inside the house. Suddenly, Xiao Hu remembered why he was uneasy: this was Pang Yuchun's house! He and his older sister used to often come here to play, because Pang Yuchun was his older sister's best friend. Since she married into the neighboring village three years ago, Xiao Hu had rarely seen her, and in the past two years, after he went to Yelin Town, he had had even less chance to see her. Just now, because it was dark, he hadn't recognized this as her house, but the surroundings felt very familiar. The crying and screaming from inside the house continued, and it was clear that Pang Laosan and his men were bullying Pang Yuchun's family. Xiao Hu couldn't wait any longer. He gripped his pistol, kicked open the door, and rushed in. Upon entering the house, he saw Pang Yuchun's grandmother lying unconscious on the ground. Her head was scraped and bleeding. A child, not even two years old, lay on the ground crying loudly. Pang Laosan, Lao Qi, and Er Gouzi, all naked from the waist down, were raping a young woman who had been stripped naked. Pang Laosan and the others were stunned when they saw a masked man dressed entirely in black burst in. Taking advantage of their momentary lapse in attention, Xiao Hu kicked Er Gouzi, who was closest to him, to the ground. Fearing he might hurt the woman, he dared not fire. At this moment, Lao Qi and Pang Laosan reacted. They released the woman, one grabbing a stool, the other raising a clay pot filled with water from the table, and approached Xiao Hu from both sides. Although Xiao Hu had practiced martial arts, he lacked practical experience and was very nervous. Without thinking, Pang Laosan raised the clay pot and threw it at him. Xiao Hu raised his hand to block it; the clay pot was thin and shattered immediately upon hitting Xiao Hu's arm. Shards of metal littered the floor, and Xiao Hu's hand was cut and burned. Just then, Lao Qi swung a stool and slammed it into Xiao Hu's shoulder, nearly causing him to drop his pistol in pain. His eyes were now bloodshot; he raised his hand and fired, hitting Lao Qi squarely in the stomach. The gunshot was deafening, making everyone in the room's ears ring. Lao Qi collapsed, clutching his stomach, his face contorted with resentment. Pang Lao San, terrified, ran for the door, but Xiao Hu wouldn't let him go. Another shot rang out, and a bloody hole appeared in Pang Lao San's back. He lay on the ground, convulsing, just like Lao Qi; he was obviously dead. Er Gouzi, who had been kicked down first by Xiao Hu, was as white as a corpse. He tried to beg for mercy from the masked hero before him, but he could only stammer, unable to utter a single word. Xiao Hu didn't want to leave any survivors. He picked up the stool on the ground and smashed it on Er Gouzi's head with all his might. Then, he lost all strength, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground. This was the first time in his life he had killed someone, and he had killed three people at once! Chapter 2: The Beautiful Village Woman When Xiao Hu regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a bed, with a woman beside him supporting his body and feeding him water. That woman was Pang Yuchun. Actually, Xiaohu's unconsciousness lasted less than five minutes. Pang Yuchun told him that she had just taken her child back to her parents' home to visit her parents and grandmother. She had a cousin who lived about 40 or 50 miles away. Her cousin was getting married today, and Pang Yuchun's parents, brother and sister-in-law, along with her sister and two nephews, had gone to help out and join in the fun. They wouldn't be back for a few days. Pang Yuchun and her grandmother stayed home with the child. Her grandmother was almost ninety years old, in good health, but her mind was a bit confused, and she needed constant care. Tonight, Pang Laosan came to forcibly borrow a cow. Pang Yuchun's parents weren't home, so of course she refused to lend it to them. Unexpectedly, their interest shifted to her. The three grown men surrounded her, groping her, frightening her child into crying loudly, and even pushing her grandmother to the ground, causing her to faint. Pang Yuchun, a woman, was no match for the three men. They stripped her naked, pinned her to the ground, and were about to be gang-raped. Fortunately...Luckily, Xiao Hu arrived to the rescue. He glanced around and saw Pang Yuchun's child lying asleep beside him, but Pang Yuchun's grandmother was nowhere to be seen. He was about to ask her something when Pang Yuchun, knowing what he wanted to know, said she had helped her grandmother to sleep in the next room. She had only been pushed and bumped her head, but it shouldn't be anything serious. Xiao Hu then asked what had happened to Pang Laosan's bodies. Pang Yuchun said the bodies were still in the main room. She was terrified and dared not touch the three dead bodies. Xiao Hu felt the bodies should be disposed of immediately; it would be troublesome if they were seen at dawn. He had been hit on the shoulder with a stool by Lao Qi during the fight, and it still hurt terribly. But disposing of the bodies was the most important thing, so he gritted his teeth and struggled to get out of bed. Pang Yuchun's house was in a relatively remote area, with few other houses nearby. Fortunately, this was the case; otherwise, the gunshots would have certainly attracted the attention of the neighbors. Xiao Hu instructed Pang Yuchun to clean up the bloodstains in the main room. He himself, with great effort, tied the bodies of Pang Laosan, Laoqi, and Er Gouzi together with straw rope and carried them on the back of her family's strong bull. Then, he took a torch and led the bull out. It was the middle of the night, and there was no one on the road. Xiao Hu led the bull along the mountain path towards Ghost Shadow Valley, which he knew well. Ghost Shadow Valley was about two miles away from here, beside the main road. The cliffs there were extremely steep, reaching over seventy degrees. The valley floor was estimated to be over two hundred meters deep. Because it was so dangerous, no one from Pangjia Village had ever gone down to the bottom of the valley in all these years. The closer Xiao Hu got to Ghost Shadow Valley, the slower he walked. Because the roadside was a cliff, and it was dark and visibility was poor, a fall would be fatal. Finally, he reached the big pine tree, the steepest part of Ghost Shadow Valley, where he and his friends used to play as children. Xiao Hu stuck the torch in the ground and carefully tied the cow to a tree trunk. Then he removed the three corpses, laboriously dragged them to the edge of the cliff, and pushed them down one by one. At first, Xiao Hu could hear the sounds of the corpses rolling and hitting the cliff face, but later he couldn't hear a sound at all, showing that Ghost Shadow Valley was truly bottomless. After dealing with the corpses, Xiao Hu led the cow back. Perhaps because he was so nervous, he didn't feel tired at all along the way. When he got home, Pang Yuchun was already waiting for him outside the door with a torch. She helped him lead the cow into the cowshed, then welcomed Xiao Hu into the house, bringing him hot water to wash his hands, face, and body. Pang Yuchun put his blood-stained shirt, which he had taken off, into the stove to burn, and found another old piece of her brother's clothing for Xiao Hu to wear. Then they ate some roasted sweet potatoes together. After eating, Xiao Hu went to sleep in Pang Yuchun's brother and sister-in-law's room and slept soundly until dawn. The next day, Xiao Hu got out of bed and found that Pang Yuchun had already lit a fire and prepared breakfast, waiting for him. Her grandmother had already eaten and was sitting in the yard sunbathing. Xiao Hu went over to talk to her, but she didn't answer him, just sat there smiling foolishly. It was clear that she not only didn't recognize who Pang Xiao Hu was, but also didn't remember anything about what happened the night before. Pang Yuchun said that her grandmother had been like this for over a year. Xiao Hu knew that this was a typical symptom of Alzheimer's. That was good, though; he didn't have to worry about her telling anyone about the night before. He returned to the table and ate with Pang Yuchun. They ate a thin porridge with lots of vegetable leaves and a few steamed sweet potatoes. While eating, Pang Yuchun also took the time to breastfeed her child. Logically, her son was already a year and a half old, and she shouldn't have much milk left. But the child sucked on her nipple with great gusto, making loud smacking noises, and Pang Xiao Hu couldn't help but glance at him a few more times. He remembered falling asleep while suckling at his mother's nipple the previous night, and how wonderful it felt. Pang Yuchun's body was slightly fuller than his older sisters', exactly the type of mature woman Xiaohu liked. Last night, she had been stripped naked by Pang Laosan and his gang, but Xiaohu was engaged in a fierce struggle with the three men and hadn't had time to look at her closely. Pang Yuchun was already married, and Xiaohu hadn't expected her to be home last night; he had assumed the woman who had been raped was Pang Yuchun's sister-in-law. Pang Yuchun felt a little embarrassed by his gaze. She glared at Xiaohu and said, "Why are you staring at me like that? It's not like I haven't seen you before." Xiaohu blushed at her words and immediately lowered his head to continue eating. Pang Yuchun's body was no secret to Xiaohu. When he treated the abscess on her groin, he had personally shaved her pubic hair and performed the surgery. For a while afterward, Pang Yuchun went to Xiaohu's house every day, taking off her pants and spreading her legs for him to examine and clean her wound. Thinking of this, Pang Yuchun felt her face burning and quickly stood up, grabbing her child and hiding in the kitchen. Xiao Hu put down his bowl and went to the backyard to chop firewood for Pang Yuchun's family. He soon broke into a sweat. He took off his shirt and hung it on a tree branch, then continued chopping wood. Pang Yuchun brought him a bowl of cool water, saying, "Are you tired, Xiao Hu? Take a rest." Xiao Hu took the water and said, "Thank you, Sister Yuchun." She noticed a hole in the knee of Xiao Hu's pants and had him take them inside. She sat down by the bed and mended them for him. Xiao Hu had already told her that he was going to Lijia Village that afternoon to try and rescue his father. It wasn't noon yet, and Xiao Hu didn't want to run into acquaintances on the road. He planned to leave after dinner, arriving at Lijia Village just as dark was falling. Pang Yuchun felt a pang of reluctance for Xiao Hu to leave. Her married life hadn't been happy; her husband had a bad temper and frequently beat her. She always felt a warm, romantic connection with Pang Xiaohu, but unfortunately, their age difference was too great. Even after marriage, she never forgot Pang Xiaohu, her great benefactor. She wanted to name her son Xiaohu, but her husband disagreed. After chopping firewood, Xiaohu returned to the house, and Pang Yuchun silently came over to help him wipe his sweat and get dressed. Xiaohu felt the woman's affection and reached out to hold her hand. They gazed at each other, and slowly their bodies leaned together, their faces pressed tightly together. Pang Yuchun glanced outside; her grandmother was dozing in a bamboo chair, and her son was crawling and babbling in the yard. Pang Yuchun thought for a moment, as if making a decision, then went over and closed the door. Then she unbuttoned her clothes, pressed Xiaohu's face against her chest, and whispered, "Xiaohu, you've never slept with a woman before, have you? Come on, let me let you taste what it's like to be a woman today." Pang Xiaohu felt a pang of guilt. In his previous life, he had been involved with many women, and after transmigrating, he had slept with Chen Ma and Nan Huiying, and also had ambiguous relationships with his elder sister Pang Juhua and his mother Wang Yumei. If Pang Yuchun knew all this, she certainly wouldn't let him take advantage of her; she would probably curse him as a rogue, a scoundrel, and a beast. Pang Yuchun was not only beautiful, but also had a well-proportioned, voluptuous figure. Before her marriage, she was the most beautiful woman in Pangjia Village. Any man wouldn't let such a woman go if she came to him. No wonder Pang Laosan and his gang were so lustful last night, daring to rape her, and ultimately losing their lives. Most men in the mountains were hot-tempered and prone to fighting; under normal circumstances, Pang Laosan and his gang wouldn't dare to openly commit such a heinous act in their own village. Pang Xiaohu gently caressed Pang Yuchun's breasts, then unbuckled her belt to touch her buttocks and thighs. Pang Yuchun blushed, her mind racing with suspicion: Xiaohu seemed quite familiar with women's bodies, his techniques were so practiced—had he already slept with other women? Before she could think further, she was completely naked. She caught a glimpse of Xiaohu's erect penis; though not large, it was firm and impressive. Xiaohu laid her down on the bed, parted her firm, full thighs, and with a "plop," his penis plunged into her already wet vagina, all the way in. Pang Yuchun cried out in pleasure. Pang Yuchun had thick black hair, and her pubic hair was particularly abundant, even her armpits were covered in dark hair. This contrasted sharply with her fair skin. Xiaohu found it very stimulating and enjoyable. His face was flushed as he vigorously kneaded her breasts, his erect penis thrusting in and out of her vagina. Pang Yuchun was, after all, a young woman married only a few years prior, and Xiao Hu found fucking her fresh and exciting, much better than fucking middle-aged women like Chen Ma. Under this intense stimulation, he quickly ejaculated inside Pang Yuchun. Because it was still early, he and Pang Yuchun rested in bed for a while, then began a new round of passionate lovemaking. It wasn't until Pang Yuchun's child cried loudly in the yard that she hurriedly pulled up her pants, disheveled, and went out to feed the child. Xiao Hu went back to bed for a while, then got up and ate some rice that Pang Yuchun had prepared for him. They embraced and kissed for a long time before reluctantly parting. Last night, Xiao Hu had found five silver dollars and some copper coins, along with a brass pipe and a full bag of tobacco, in the pockets of Pang Laosan and the other two. He gave Pang Yuchun the five silver dollars and copper coins, keeping the brass pipe and tobacco for himself to take to his father. He knew Pang Dashan had a strong addiction to tobacco; after being imprisoned for so long, his craving had only intensified.Committing this crime would definitely be excruciating. Section 3: Exploring Li Family Village Li Family Village is less than ten miles from Pang Yuchun's home. Although it was a mountain road, Pang Xiaohu walked quickly and arrived before dark. He bypassed the Li Family Ancestral Hall in the center of the village and headed towards Li Wanchun's house at the back of the village. Because he was a well-known child prodigy, many villagers and children knew him. Fortunately, he was going through puberty, and not only had he grown taller, but his appearance and voice had also changed, so no one recognized him along the way. He needed to find his second sister, Pang Xinghua, to find out what was going on. What he wanted to know most was the true situation of Li Family Village: who had the most power, who held real authority in the village, and so on. He was fully confident that he could forcibly rescue his father, but he didn't want his father to live a life of hiding like a fugitive from then on. Of course, he also didn't want to kill again. Li Wanchun's original name was Pang Wanchun, and he was the same age as Pang Xiaohu, and used to be his inseparable childhood friend. After his mother remarried and moved to Lijia Village, he followed her and changed his surname to Li. His stepfather had four sons: Li Fuchun, Li Fuxia, Li Fuqiu, and Li Fudong. They were all older than Li Wanchun, with the eldest, Li Fuchun, already twenty-one. Because of poverty, none of the brothers had married. After Wanchun's mother remarried, she gave birth to twin boys, who were only six months old. Xiao Hu approached Li Wanchun's house when, with a "whoosh," a large black dog suddenly pounced on him. As the saying goes, a barking dog doesn't bite, and this dog seemed difficult to deal with. Besides the pistol at his waist, Xiao Hu also carried a hunter's dagger, which he had taken from Pang Yuchun's house. He drew the dagger, ready to fight the dog, but unexpectedly, the dog wagged its tail at him. Upon closer inspection, Xiao Hu saw that the dog was entirely black except for a patch of white fur on its chest. He remembered: this dog was most likely one of the puppies of the mother dog that used to keep at his house. He recalled that Wan Chun had begged him for a puppy, and it seemed that Wan Chun and her mother had brought the puppy with them when they moved to Lijia Village. Now it had grown tall and big, yet it could still smell its former owner. Xiao Hu reached out and stroked the dog's head, then went closer to the house, first peering through the window. It seemed that none of the men in the Li family were home tonight. Wan Chun's mother was holding and comforting a child, while Xiao Hu's second sister, Pang Xinghua, was washing dishes and tidying the table. The table was piled with dishes, indicating that the men had just finished eating and hurriedly left. Just then, the sound of another child crying came from the inner room. Wan Chun's mother told Pang Xinghua and then took the child inside. Pang Xiao Hu knocked on the window frame and softly called out, "Second Sister!" Pang Xinghua went closer and recognized Xiao Hu; she was startled. Xiao Hu shook his hand, signaling her not to disturb Wan Chun's mother. Pang Xinghua pointed to the woodshed, telling Xiao Hu to wait for her there. Xiao Hu nodded and went that way. After a while, Pang Xinghua tidied the table and stove and came to the woodshed to meet Xiao Hu. Pang Xinghua was very excited. She was usually the most timid of the three sisters. When Pang Dashan was arrested, neither her eldest sister nor Xiao Hu were around. To save her father, she didn't know where she got the courage, but she resolutely came to Li Family Village alone. The Li family was all men except for Wan Chun's mother. As soon as Pang Xinghua arrived, she took on almost all the housework. She did everything from fetching water and chopping wood to cooking, sewing, and washing. Old Man Li was very satisfied with his future daughter-in-law. He patted his chest and told Pang Xinghua that she didn't need to worry about her father; he would take care of it and release him soon. However, he insisted that Pang Xinghua marry his son now, as he was eager to have a grandson. Pang Xinghua was all alone and helpless here, so she didn't have time to think it over. Besides, she was afraid that things might get complicated with her father's situation, so she agreed. Old Man Li was overjoyed and grinned from ear to ear. But then he was dumbfounded. Of his six biological sons, apart from the twins Wan Chun's mother had just given birth to, the other four sons were all vying to marry Pang Xinghua. The four brothers argued fiercely and almost came to blows. Pang Xinghua was also very scared. Of the Li family's sons, she liked the eldest, Li Fuchun, the most. He was strong and hardworking, and had a good temper. His second brother, Li Fuxia, and third brother, Li Fuqiu, were also strong young men, but they were lazy and liked to cause trouble. The fourth brother, Li Fudong, seemed honest and almost never spoke, but he would blush whenever he saw Pang Xinghua. Unexpectedly, he also wanted to marry Pang Xinghua. These past few days, Pang Xinghua had been living in constant fear at the Li family's house, feeling like one or more men's eyes were watching her all the time, even when she went to the outhouse. Her biggest fear was that Li's father, to save money on a wedding, would force her to marry several of his brothers at the same time. This kind of thing wasn't uncommon among the poor people in this area. Now, things were better; Xiaohu had arrived, and he was sure he could help her solve this problem. Pang Xiaohu, upon hearing his second sister's words, was furious; he wanted to draw his gun and kill someone on the spot. Pang Xinghua quickly tried to calm her brother down. She said that Li Fuchun, the eldest son of the Li family, had treated her very well; he was polite, respectful to elders, and kind to children, and had never done anything inappropriate to her. The implication was that she was willing to marry Li Fuchun. She didn't dare tell her brother that when she went to the outhouse, his good friend Li Wanchun had also been secretly watching her. Pang Xiaohu told his second sister that after rescuing their father, he would take her back to Pangjia Village. The second sister's marriage couldn't be so hasty. Even if she was willing to marry Li Fuchun, the Li family should marry her openly and with fanfare, not let them take advantage of her vulnerability and force her into marriage. Pang Xinghua nodded, opened her arms and hugged her younger brother, tears streaming down her face. The Li family ancestral hall was brightly lit, and Committee Member Hu from the city was presiding over a meeting of key members of the peasant movement from several nearby villages. Since Li Family Village was the main venue, all the members of their village's peasant association were present, including Old Man Li and his sons. The other villages each sent a few representatives. Strangely, all the representatives from Pang Family Village were absent, which caused a lot of discussion. They didn't know that Pang Laosan had been killed by Pang Xiaohu before he could even announce the meeting, and then the body was disposed of. He seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace. Therefore, the members of the peasant association in Pang Family Village didn't know about the meeting. Because there were many people at the meeting, and many didn't know each other, Pang Xiaohu took the opportunity to blend into the crowd. Committee Member Hu couldn't wait any longer and announced that the meeting would begin immediately. She spoke with a certain flair, much like a seasoned party and government official from later generations, and the room quickly quieted down. Two female soldiers carrying pistols, sitting at the table in the center of the room, surprised Pang Xiaohu greatly. They were none other than Sister Hei Ying, Pang Qionghua, whom he longed for, and Sister Hong, the woman whose abdominal gunshot wound he had once treated. Beside them stood a dozen or so serious-looking female soldiers carrying rifles, including Spiky Bear Li Tieniu and Cold-Faced Fox Hu Cuiping. Hu Cuiping was alright; she stood there straight in her military uniform, looking dashing. Li Tieniu, however, looked awkward, mainly because of her unusual figure. The uniform was stretched taut by her flesh, with wide gaps between the buttons at the chest revealing her belly; the buttons looked like they might burst at any moment. She wasn't wearing military trousers, probably because they couldn't find the right size. This is understandable; she's at most 1.65 meters tall, but weighs at least 180 jin (90 kg). Pang Xiaohu felt both amused and touched when he saw Li Tieniu's clumsy appearance. If it weren't for the mission of saving his father weighing on his shoulders, he would have run over to greet her and given her a friendly punch like last time. Committee Member Hu first introduced Pang Qionghua and Sister Hong to the meeting attendees: "These are Company Commander Pang and Deputy Company Commander Liang of the Special Service Company directly under the Qiongya Independent Division of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. They were sent by the higher Party organization to support our rural work." Actually, Pang Qionghua's other identity was more well-known in the area: she was the former leader of the Black Tassel Society, nicknamed the Black Tassel Rakshasa. Many people had heard the legends about her. Because Yuan Zhenguo was a staff officer in the 39th Division of the Central Army, he possessed a lot of intelligence about the local Red Army. Xiaohu had already learned Sister Hong's real name from him; she was called Liang Hongmei, differing from the historical heroine Liang Hongyu by only one character. Her parents were both members of the Restoration Society, and were arrested and beheaded by the Qing government for their anti-Qing revolutionary activities. She herself had studied abroad and joined the Kuomintang. After returning to China, she first served in the Nationalist government, and after the breakdown of the Kuomintang-Communist cooperation, she joined the Communist Red Army. The agenda of the meeting proceeded item by item. After about two hours, the last item on the agenda was finally discussed: the public trial and the list of reactionaries to be executed after the meeting. Committee Member Hu first read out the prepared list, and the last one was indeed Pang Xiaohu's father, Pang Dashan. Xiaohu stood in the crowd, took a deep breath, and silently watched each person speak in turn. When Pang Dashan was discussed, Li Fuchun was the first to stand up and raise an objection. He said that Pang Dashan himself had committed no crimes and was quite respected among the villagers; even if he had done something wrong, he should not be beheaded. Old Man Li also spoke up to support his son. Unfortunately, Old Man Li's eloquence was really not good; he stammered and stuttered, making no sense. When someone refuted him a few times, he became red-faced and swollen-necked, as if he was in the wrong. Li Fuchun was obviously not good at speaking either.Capable of arguing in public, the father and son were incoherent and sweating profusely. Xiao Hu looked at the Li family and thought they were utterly pathetic. If they really relied on such people, his father, Pang Dashan, would surely be dead. He secretly rejoiced that he had come in person. However, he was certain that the Li family hadn't deliberately deceived his second sister, Pang Xinghua; they had simply overestimated their own character and abilities. Committee Member Hu spoke. She didn't directly say whether Pang Dashan should be killed or not, but instead spoke of many abstract principles. Then she proposed killing a typical example of a reactionary element in each village, so as to better inspire the revolutionary enthusiasm of the peasants and promote the development of the local peasant movement. Her far-sighted speech silenced all opposition, and the matter seemed about to be settled. Xiao Hu couldn't help but curse inwardly: This damned woman, she's utterly callous! Is it possible to unjustly kill a completely innocent person for the sake of the "vigorous development" of the revolution? He had initially had a fairly good impression of this Committee Member Hu; in those days, it took considerable courage for a woman to stand up and make revolution. Now, he really wanted to rush up and slap her a few times. Unexpectedly, Pang Qionghua spoke up. She said directly, "Since this Pang Dashan has committed no crime, he should be released. His son's affairs shouldn't implicate him. If we're going to implicate him, I used to be a bandit, and my godfather was the ruthless bandit Flying Knife Wu. Shouldn't I be dragged out and executed too?" She stood there imposingly, a pistol tucked into her waistband, her stern gaze sweeping over everyone present. No one dared to voice their opposition. Although Committee Member Hu was dissatisfied with what she said, he didn't want to openly contradict her. She smoothed things over, saying that the matter would be put aside for now and discussed at the next meeting, and then adjourned the meeting. Section 4: The Heroic Company Commander Pang The people at the meeting gradually left, and Committee Member Hu also departed. Only Pang Qionghua and Liang Hongmei remained, still sitting there talking. Xiao Hu then walked up to Pang Qionghua and called out, "Sister." Pang Qionghua stared at him for a while before recognizing him. Excitedly, she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him closer, saying, "Xiao Hu, it's you! You've grown so tall, even I didn't recognize you!" Liang Hongmei was also very happy, holding Xiao Hu's hand and asking him all sorts of questions. Xiao Hu was her savior; if it weren't for his surgery to remove the bullet from her abdomen and to disinfect and stitch up her wounds, she would have been dead long ago. Pang Qionghua asked, "Xiao Hu, what brings you to Lijia Village?" Xiao Hu gave a bitter smile and said, "They're going to execute my father, I had no choice but to come." "What? Pang Dashan is your father? You're the manager of that Nan Batian?" It turned out that Pang Juhua had no idea about the relationship between Pang Dashan and Pang Xiao Hu. During the meeting earlier, she simply thought that executing Pang Dashan so casually was absurd; even when she was a bandit, she had never killed anyone so indiscriminately. That's why she stood up to speak out for justice. Xiao Hu recounted to Pang Qionghua and Liang Hongmei how he had been promoted to steward in the mansion by Nan Dechang after saving the Third Young Master. He also told them that Pang Laosan, the head of the farmers' association in Pangjia Village, was a local ruffian who had once slashed him for attempting to rape his elder sister, Pang Juhua. This time, he was definitely taking revenge and wanted to kill Pang Dashan. Xiao Hu didn't mention that he had already killed Pang Laosan. Pang Qionghua was furious and screamed. If Liang Hongmei hadn't held her back, she would have immediately led her troops to Pangjia Village to arrest Pang Laosan. Pang Xiao Hu asked them who this Committee Member Hu was and how he could be so callous with human life. Liang Hongmei said: Committee Member Hu's name was Hu Wenjun, and she was her classmate in middle school. She came from a wealthy family; her father was a department head in the provincial government in Guangzhou, and her brother was a major general advisor in the Central Army. She joined the revolution to resist her family's arranged marriage. Because of her sharp tongue, she gained the trust of Director Xia, who was sent from above, and was appointed as the person in charge of land reform and peasant association work in this area. In reality, she didn't understand the actual situation in the countryside; she only knew how to apply what was in books, just like Director Xia. From their tone, Pang Xiaohu could tell that Pang Qionghua and Liang Hongmei both disapproved of some of the proposals of Committee Member Hu and Director Xia, and were also dissatisfied with their bureaucratic style of issuing orders everywhere. Xiaohu cursed inwardly: "That damned woman! I'm just a small manager in the Southern Prefecture, and you treat me like a counter-revolutionary, even wanting to kill my father. Your own father and brother are high-ranking officials in the Kuomintang, shouldn't you kill them even more?" Liang Hongmei thought for a moment and said to Pang Xiaohu, "Xiaohu, you probably shouldn't get involved in this directly. How about this: Our special operations company is building barracks and fortifications in Chifeng Mountain, and we're short-handed. We're planning to pick some physically fit landlords from those we've arrested to help us with manual labor. I'll go to the Red Guards' cell in Lijia Village right now and get your father out so he can work as a laborer for us. That way, even if Hu Wenjun finds out, she won't say much. With me and your sister Heiying looking after him, your father definitely won't suffer." Xiaohu thought: That's not bad. Anyway, his father was destined to be a laborer; he'd be uncomfortable if he didn't have work to do all day. Now, with the silver dollars and copper coins he brought back, his family is already well-off. His father won't go hungry working for the female soldiers' company, and he'll also enjoy their protection—it's a perfect solution. So he nodded in agreement. Pang Qionghua exclaimed in approval, "Sister Hong, your idea is brilliant!" As she spoke, she put her strong arm around Liang Hongmei's shoulder. Sister Hongmei seemed a little embarrassed; she gave Pang Qionghua a sidelong glance, a blush creeping onto her face. Xiao Hu, seeing this, couldn't help but wonder: Could there be something between Pang Qionghua and Liang Hongmei? "What if the Red Guards refuse to release them?" he continued. "Sister Hongmei and I will go together, let's see who dares to stop us!" Pang Qionghua replied. She then said, "Xiaohu, you're not in a hurry to leave, are you? Could you come with me to our new place for a few days? We siblings haven't seen each other in a long time, it's time for us to get together and catch up." Xiaohu said, "Okay. My second sister, Pang Xinghua, is currently staying at the home of Li, the vice president of the farmers' association. Sister, could you send someone to take her back to Pangjia Village so she can tell my mother and third sister that Father's matter has been resolved and that they shouldn't worry?" The reason he was in such a hurry to send his second sister home was that he didn't want her to continue being treated like a servant by the Li family. As for marriage, they could talk about that later. Pang Qionghua patted her chest and said, "No problem, leave it to us." After she finished speaking, she pulled Liang Hongmei and walked out. As they walked, Liang Hongmei turned back to Xiaohu and said, "Xiaohu, you'd better not show your face everywhere, lest someone you know recognizes you and reports you to Committee Member Hu." Xiaohu nodded in agreement, thinking to himself: This Sister Hong is really thoughtful. She and Sister Hei Ying complemented each other perfectly, their strength and gentleness complementing each other flawlessly. Not long after they left, Li Tieniu and Hu Cuiping entered. Hu Cuiping, as always, kept a straight face and didn't say a word when she saw Xiaohu. Li Tieniu, however, gave him a formal military salute and said, "Reporting, Commander! Company Commander Pang and Deputy Company Commander Liang sent us to protect you. Shall we go to our temporary quarters to rest now? The two company commanders will come to meet you as soon as they've finished their business." Xiaohu looked at her and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "What commander? I'm Xiaohu! You, Thorn Bear, haven't you recognized your brother after just a few days in the army?" Li Tieniu also chuckled. She walked over and patted Xiaohu's shoulder hard with her thick, hairy arm, saying, "Xiaohu, it's so good to see you!" Xiaohu was startled by the pat and threw a punch at her chest with lightning speed. Suddenly remembering that Thorn Bear, no matter how rough, was still a woman, he tried to stop, but it was too late. His fist had already made intimate contact with her chest with a "bang." Of course, Little Tiger had already restrained most of his strength and hadn't hurt her. The spiky bear grinned and said, "Little Tiger, why do you always hit my breasts? Have you fallen for me? But your boxing skills haven't improved much!" Little Tiger blushed. He suddenly noticed a hint of a smile flickering at the corner of Cold-Faced Fox Cuiping's mouth, and thought: So you can smile too. Aren't you tired of putting on that fierce look all day? Li Tieniu affectionately put her arm around Xiaohu's shoulder and said to him, "Xiaohu, we're revolutionary soldiers now, and we were recently promoted to squad leader. Don't mention those nasty nicknames anymore, okay? Otherwise, you'll get scolded by the leaders." Xiaohu glanced at Hu Cuiping and asked, "Then you and her..." Li Tieniu immediately interrupted, "You absolutely can't mention that! But privately, we're still a loving couple, right, Cuiping?" She then winked at Hu Cuiping with her comical little eyes. Xiaohu secretly chuckled: What a pair of clowns! Li Tieniu and Hu Cuiping, carrying torches, led Xiaohu towards Li Laocai's house. Li Laocai had driven several people to their deaths in Li Family Village and was now imprisoned by the peasant association. Pang Qionghua and a platoon of female soldiers under her command were currently staying at his house. Along the way, Li Tieniu told Xiaohu about many things that had happened since their last separation. After expansion, the Black Tassel Society's fifty-odd members were reorganized into the Special Service Company of the Hainan Independent Division of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, totaling over one hundred and thirty people. They...They were often dispatched by their superiors to various townships to assist the local peasant associations in fighting local tyrants and distributing land. Generally, they forced the tyrants to submit without bloodshed; only a few chose to resist stubbornly, like Li Laocai. Like Nan Dechang, Li Laocai also kept many servants. Li Laocai and his sons originally thought the peasants of the peasant association were nothing to fear, and they were prepared to fight them to the end. Unexpectedly, the peasant association had a platoon of female soldiers brought by Pang Qionghua and Liang Hongmei. As soon as they entered the village, they quickly surrounded the Li family compound and shouted for them to surrender. When persuasion failed, Pang Qionghua raised her pistol and gave the order: "Fire!" The female soldiers opened fire, killing two servants and wounding three. Several naive men were terrified, threw down their weapons, opened the gates of the courtyard, and ran out, begging for mercy. As a result, the Li family compound was easily captured by Pang Qionghua and her team, and Li Laocai and his sons all surrendered without resistance. The few servants who surrendered weren't afraid of the Red Army, but rather the Black Tassel Society. They had almost never heard of the Red Army before, while the infamous Black Tassel Rakshasa was a notorious figure in the area. In reality, many stories about her were exaggerated beyond belief. When they heard that the Black Tassel Rakshasa had come from outside, they were immediately terrified. Otherwise, Pang Qionghua and Liang Hongmei's team would have had a much harder time capturing the Li family compound, and the casualties would have been considerable. The women's special operations company conducted daily military training, always ready for combat missions. Li Tieniu said that the older members of the Black Tassel Society didn't like strict discipline and often complained. However, Company Commander Pang Qionghua was very strict, and they dared not violate military discipline. Deputy Company Commander Liang Hongmei also had high prestige; she was responsible for the company's Party organization building and propaganda work. Recently, there have been some rumors that the higher-ups don't seem to like Company Commander Pang, saying she's a Trotskyist sympathizer. Li Tieniu doesn't understand these things and can't explain them to Xiaohu either. Pang Xiaohu can only laugh bitterly to himself: it's utter nonsense. Although Pang Qionghua can read a few words, she hasn't read many books. She probably doesn't even know who Trotsky was, so how could she be associated with Trotskyists? They arrived at Li Laocai's house. It was a very imposing courtyard built of blue bricks, with two armed female soldiers standing guard at the gate. Xiaohu noticed that there were also hidden sentries in the big trees outside the gate. It seems that Company Commander Pang and her comrades are quite vigilant. Li Tieniu explained that although there are no dangerous enemies here, for three consecutive days they have caught people trying to sneak into the courtyard by climbing over the wall. After interrogation, they learned that they were a few idle bachelor youths from the village. When they saw the female soldiers coming to the village, they wanted to sneak in at night to spy on them while they showered and used the latrine. Company Commander Pang was furious. She ordered them all tied up and each given ten lashes with a leather whip. Then she notified their families to come and collect their children, and each family had to pay a fine of one copper coin before they could take them home. Li Tieniu led Xiaohu into a room, saying he should rest there for a while until Company Commander Pang returned. Then she left. The room looked like a young lady's boudoir, elegantly furnished. There was a delicate dressing table, carved mahogany furniture, and a faint fragrance wafting through the air. A brightly colored mosquito net hung on the bed, along with embroidered pillows and a clean quilt. Xiaohu saw a patched old military uniform neatly folded on the table. He picked it up, measured himself against the uniform, and laughed: "Besides Pang Qionghua, probably no one else here could fit in that size." Although Li Tieniu wasn't short either, she was more than half a head shorter than Pang Qionghua, and besides, her buttocks were too big; those military trousers would definitely tear if she wore them. The door wasn't closed. Pang Xiaohu noticed female soldiers passing by the door from time to time, always glancing in his direction as they went. After a while, someone brought him food. It was Zhang Erniang, whom he already knew well; she was now a squad leader, just like Li Tieniu. She smiled and invited Xiaohu to sit down and eat, serving him food and pouring him water. The meal consisted of white rice, stir-fried cured meat, and a vegetable dish—it tasted very good. Xiaohu was starving and sat down, eating heartily without a care for appearances. Zhang Erniang said, "A female soldier just ran over and told me that a handsome young man had come to Company Commander Pang's room. I guessed it was you, Xiaohu, and I was right. Xiaohu, you've grown into a big man. Come, let your sister take a look." As she spoke, she sat down next to him, even pinching his shoulders and arms a few times. At that moment, the female soldiers' giggling laughter came from outside the window; they were clearly eavesdropping. Zhang Erniang blushed, went out, and loudly reprimanded the two female soldiers hiding outside the window, shooing them away. She turned back to Xiaohu apologetically, saying, "I have to go too, otherwise people will gossip and say I'm trying to seduce Company Commander Pang's man. Xiaohu, come find me if you need anything, okay?" With that, she closed the door and left. It took Xiaohu a while to come to his senses: When did I become "Company Commander Pang's man"?! [To be continued]

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Red Crossing Chapter 9

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