Chapter 47: Setting Out

After the oath-taking ceremony, the order was given to “return to camp, get ready, and eat immediately.” Tian Liang returned to his company and was about to tell the mess squad to hurry up with the meal.

Because they were about to move out, the mess squad had cooked up all the good things left in the company kitchen. The meal was comparable to a New Year’s feast. Large platters of roasted sausages, braised chicken chunks, and cabbage stewed with sliced meat were brought out, in quantities sufficient for everyone to eat as much as they wanted.

Today’s rice had also been changed. It wasn’t coarse rice, but real white rice, steaming hot.

The mess sergeant was an old soldier who had been left behind in the garrison because he was too old. As he served everyone, he said earnestly, “Brothers! Eat up, eat your fill. After we cross the sea, who knows when we’ll have such a good meal again!” As he spoke, Tian Liang saw his eyes were red, and he felt a pang in his own heart.

Seeing the unnatural expressions on the faces of the soldiers in his company, Tian Liang was about to say something when the mess sergeant brought out a bottle of rum and poured a little for everyone. The mess sergeant was from Shandong. He raised his wine bowl and said in the new dialect with a thick accent, “Brothers, you are about to go to war. I won’t say any grand words, just a few auspicious ones.” He raised his bowl. “I wish you all victory, success, a long life, and glory for generations!” With that, he drained the bowl in one gulp and showed the bottom.

Tian Liang raised his glass. “For the Senate and the people, for victory! Cheers!”

All the officers and soldiers of the company raised their glasses and shouted in unison, “For the Senate and the people, for victory—cheers!”

The time for departure had finally come. The gates of Ma Niao Base opened, and the standard-bearer, guarding the newly bestowed eagle flag of the South China Army, was the first to emerge. The red eagle flag fluttered in the sunlight, a silver double-headed eagle perched majestically upon it. Ornate golden cords and black and white ribbons hung from the flagpole.

Under the eagle flag, Xi Yazhou, in full military dress, rode out proudly on his warhorse. Behind him was a cavalry escort composed of former Japanese mounted samurai. Further back, accompanied by the beat of drums and the sound of fifes, came company after company: infantry, artillery, engineers, supply troops… the clatter of hooves, the rumble of wheels.

In the fields beside the base, by the irrigation ditches, the laboring farmers straightened up. They watched as the brand-new, well-ordered army marched out of the base, rank after rank, seemingly endless. They had already known from the sky-shattering slogans that the army was going on an expedition. Now, seeing the troops marching out, they dropped their farm tools and flocked to the roadside.

The families of the officers and soldiers who lived nearby had long since received the news that the troops were moving out. They waited by the roadside, hoping to catch a glimpse of their loved ones. Now, seeing the troops emerge, they rushed to the roadside, anxiously trying to identify the passing soldiers.

Tian Liang marched under his company’s banner. He saw the family of the newly appointed 1st Battalion commander, Lin Fu: his parents, wife, and three children, the youngest still in her arms, waiting eagerly by the roadside, holding onto Lin Fu and saying something he couldn’t hear. Although the battalion commander kept a stern face, feigning indifference, he kept stroking his children’s heads. Tian Liang suddenly couldn’t bear to watch.

It’s a good thing I have no ties, I’m free as a bird, he thought.

“You must all come back safely. I’ll burn incense for you every day when I get back…” an old woman, who was often cared for by the troops, had managed to climb onto the road embankment and shouted.

“Goodbye, fellow villagers! Wait for our return!” a soldier shouted loudly.

“Great army! Go well!” The old farmer shed tears! The neighbors shed tears! The villagers all shed tears! Men, women, old, and young, all shed tears of reluctance to part.

An unknown company began to sing the “Fubo Army Marching Song”:

To be a soldier, be a Fubo soldier, Welcomed everywhere by scholars and farmers. No worries of poverty after five years of service, Officers and soldiers are all the same. Those who can work will have work to do, No one oppresses another. Those who can farm will have fields to till.

To be a soldier, be a Fubo soldier, To fight the enemy with the Yuanlao. Charge into the fray and kill the enemy, The local tyrants, evil gentry, and landlords, And the Eastern Barbarian wild boar skins, bandits, and eunuch party, Kill them all without mercy!

The singing grew louder and louder, soaring to the heavens. Under the blue sky, the great blue-gray army, like a giant python, stretched from Ma Niao all the way to Bopu.

Bopu Harbor was ready for the army’s departure. The masts on the docks were like a forest. To ensure the safety of the transport, this time, all troops were transported on large T800-class sailing ships. The galleons captured from the Spanish were also put to use. The Great Whale, a flat-decked barge that was rarely used due to lack of fuel, was also refurbished to transport warhorses and artillery.

Supplies and artillery had already been loaded onto the ships and securely tied down with ropes. The sailors waited on deck. It was a beautiful day.

The streets of Bopu, starting from a long way from the town center, were crowded with soldiers’ families who had come to see them off and citizens who had come to send the troops on their expedition. The streets were a sea of people. The streets of Bopu were decorated with lanterns and colored streamers, hung with banner after banner and flag after flag. Groups of students in uniform waved small paper flags with the Morning Star emblem and cheered.

One, two, three… dozens, hundreds of military flags fluttered in the wind.

These flags were of different styles and patterns. There was the blue Morning Star national flag, the gear, wheat ear, and iron fist Fubo Army military flag, the army battalion flags embroidered with various patterns and marked with battle honors and medals on their ribbons, the personal flags of the Yuanlao… all sorts of flags fluttered in the clear sky.

Under the flags, marching to the rhythm of the military songs were the soldiers in three columns. They wore brand-new Type 5 uniforms, carrying their backpacks and weapons, and marched in neat steps along the street towards the docks, led by their officers.

The army’s four infantry battalions: the 1st, 8th, 9th, and 10th, the South China Army headquarters, and the logistics and direct subordinate units of the army and brigade, had marched here on foot from Ma Niao Fort. They would board the ships here and head for their first destination on the northern expedition: Hong Kong.

Flags, ribbons, cheers. Amidst this clamor, Tian Liang marched with his head held high to the rhythm of the song, enjoying the enthusiastic gazes and cheers from both sides of the street. He felt a little dizzy. When had he ever received such glory? He felt his whole body was filled with strength.

At this moment, he saw in a squad ahead, an officer marching with great strides. Judging by his rank, he should also be a company commander. Beside him, a beautiful naturalized citizen woman was also walking desperately to keep up with his pace. She must be the officer’s wife, come to see her husband off. Seeing her follow the troops without leaving, he couldn’t help but be moved by her love for her husband.

You must come back alive, or you will have failed your wife! he said silently.

In Dongmen City, an hour after the troops left the barracks, the newly appointed Chairman of the Senate, Wang Luobin, wearing a rankless Type 5 army uniform, rode in an open carriage to the Dongmen City Gymnasium for a meeting. This place was temporarily used as a venue, not only gathering most of the Yuanlao in Lingao, but also the members of the advisory bureaus of all counties in Hainan were summoned to attend.

The carriage was escorted by thirty-six lavishly dressed cavalrymen. The leading standard-bearers held the Morning Star national flag, the Chairman of the Senate’s flag, and Wang Luobin’s personal Yuanlao flag, respectively. The procession trotted along the main road. All along the way, every household hung the national flag. The streets and alleys were filled with excited and enthusiastic crowds. Laughter and shouts mingled, and wave after wave of cheers came towards the procession.

Wang Luobin’s carriage arrived at a cargo yard near the docks, which had been cleared out as a venue for the departure ceremony. A huge decorated archway stood in the center of the field. A temporary rostrum was built next to the gate. When the carriage stopped under the rostrum and Wang Luobin got out and waved to the crowd, a burst of “Long live the Senate” suddenly erupted from the crowd, and then everyone began to shout “Long live.” Countless small flags waved desperately like a tide.

He ascended the rostrum. The main officials of the Senate had already arrived. Wang Luobin exchanged a few pleasantries with everyone and waited for the arrival of the troops led by Xi Yazhou.

The flag of the South China Army approached from a distance, and the procession came to a halt below the stage. Xi Yazhou rode his horse to the foot of the rostrum, dismounted, tugged at the hem of his uniform, and strode up the stage with his command sword at his side. He came before Wang Luobin, snapped to attention with a “thud,” and reported in a loud, clear voice, word by word:

“Fubo Army! Commander of the South China Army! Major General of the Army! Xi Yazhou! Reporting to you: Requesting permission to depart!”

Wang Luobin shouted, “Permission to depart granted!”

Xi Yazhou turned, descended the stage, mounted his horse, and pulled the reins. At this moment, Wang Luobin took a large horn and blew the departure call.

Wooooo—

The low sound of the horn echoed over Bopu.

“The Chairman himself is sounding the horn!”

This news, like a wave sweeping across the sea, instantly spread through the crowd.

“They are going to seize the world!”

This sentence flashed through everyone’s mind.

“Depart!” Xi Yazhou’s riding crop swung up.

The troops began to pass by the rostrum for review. At this moment, the “Fubo Army Soldiers’ Expedition Song” came from the loudspeakers.

The whole nation takes up arms, let’s all go on the expedition, See how majestic the great flag flutters. Where did this army come from? From the ends of the earth, the island of Qiong. The army and the people must be of one heart, To be the vanguard in saving the nation. The whole nation responds to this call. This time we cross the strait, To wipe out the enemy completely. This time we cross the strait, To wipe out the enemy completely.

A capable general leads elite troops, His might is unparalleled in the world. Under the red flag is our leader, the Senate. Recapture Bianliang city, Then take the lands of You and Yan. Annihilate the roving rebels and enjoy peace, Annihilate the roving rebels and enjoy peace.

All together, we go out of the pass to fight the Eastern Barbarians, To restore our beautiful rivers and mountains. After defeating the Tartar troops, we will all go down to Guandong. The common people cheer our soldiers. The workers and peasants must be liberated, The Chinese revolution must succeed. The workers and peasants must be liberated, The Chinese revolution must succeed.

At first, it was the sound of the choir from the loudspeakers. Then all the troops and the cheering crowd began to sing along. The singing grew louder and louder, like a clap of thunder, echoing in the southeastern sky.