Chapter 8: The County Magistrate Is Surprisingly a Woman
Chapter 8: The County Chief Is Actually a Woman
(Part One)
The only thing that set the young girl apart from other girls was the Eight Route Army cap perched on her head, the broad armed belt cinched around her waist, and the boxy gun slung across her shoulder, oddly mismatched with her slight frame.
“Comrade, hello. I am Wang Wanlan!” The young female county chief extended her hand to shake Guan Shan’s.
Guan Shan couldn’t help but brush his hand awkwardly on his clothes before reaching out, just like in the movies.
“The letter?” Chief Wang released his hand and tidied her short hair as she asked.
“Oh, here it is.” Guan Shan pulled out the envelope and handed it to her.
Seeing that the envelope had already been opened, Chief Wang glanced at Guan Shan.
He explained, “Doctor Liu was just performing surgery, so I opened the letter. I asked Nurse Zhang to prepare for the transfer. Also, considering the transfer of squad leaders Qin and Hu, I requested Zhang to find two donkeys or mules and two villagers familiar with the mountain paths.”
Wang Wanlan listened attentively while unfolding the letter to read its contents. After finishing, she looked up and asked, “Young comrade, what is your name?”
Hearing the young female county chief address him as “young comrade” caught Guan Shan off guard, but he quickly reminded himself that he was now a twenty-year-old soldier of the Eight Route Army.
“Twenty… oh no, Guan Shan!” He replied reluctantly, accidentally giving the wrong answer.
“Ha!” Chief Wang smiled slightly, pocketed the envelope, and said, “Thank you, Comrade Guan Shan. What is your next task? Returning to the regiment or moving with us?”
“Report to Chief Wang! I’m heading to the clinic now to assist with the transfer preparations. Could you select a squad from the county militia for me? I want to arrange the nighttime cover and plan the evacuation route for the clinic and your county leadership!” Guan Shan took the initiative to propose once again.
Wang Wanlan hesitated briefly. She clearly hadn’t expected such a request from this young soldier.
She appraised Guan Shan from head to toe, noting the Type 24 rifle with bayonet slung over his shoulder and the bulging grenade pouches at his sides—equipment only the core soldiers of the main forces would have.
Without further questions, Wang Wanlan turned and called out, “Captain Feng! Captain Feng!”
Indeed, appearances matter greatly; the young soldier’s imposing gear had clearly made an impression.
(Part Two)
“Here! Chief Wang, you called me?” A middle-aged man dressed like a farmer hurried over. Seeing Guan Shan fully armed, he quickly pulled out an Eight Route Army cap from his pocket, put it on, and saluted Guan Shan somewhat awkwardly.
“Select a squad from the Direct Area team to prepare for tonight’s cover of the clinic and the county party leadership’s transfer! When ready, have them report to Comrade Guan Shan at the clinic!” Wang Wanlan commanded decisively.
Her accent carried a faint Beijing inflection. Could she be a city girl from Beijing? Or perhaps a university graduate?
“Thank you, Chief Wang. Thank you, Captain Feng. I’m heading to the clinic now!” Guan Shan snapped to attention, saluted both, and departed.
Captain Feng turned toward Wang Wanlan and asked, “Chief, who is this Comrade Guan Shan?”
“He was sent by the regiment. I haven’t met him before,” Wang Wanlan suddenly realized she didn’t even know Guan Shan well or what rank he held in the Independent Regiment.
“Judging by his professionalism… maybe he’s a university graduate?” Captain Feng speculated.
“A university graduate? His skin looks rough. Hmm, probably due to the sun and wind in these mountain valleys…” Wang Wanlan muttered softly, unconsciously glancing down at her own hands, now no longer delicate but chapped from frostbite.
(Part Three)
“A county militia with fewer than ten rifles?” Guan Shan scratched the back of his head in surprise as he looked at the uneven group of team members.
The ten soldiers who came to report had no rifles at all—only three long-barreled hunting shotguns, while the others carried spears or large knives.
“Wow, comrade, our main forces have already upgraded to such new rifles!” A burly young man holding a shotgun stared at Guan Shan’s Type 24 rifle with envy, practically drooling.
“Big Dog, you look so useless!” A leaner young man around twenty-three or twenty-four scolded the burly one, introducing himself, “Commander, this is Li Big Dog. I’m Li Tianzuo. He’s my eldest nephew, a bit immature! We’re all from Zhang Village, and all surnamed Li!”
Big… nephew? Yet Li Big Dog seemed even more mature than Li Tianzuo.
And why were all these young men from Zhang Village surnamed Li?
“Uh, well, never mind. Don’t call me commander—I’m not one! My name is Guan Shan. You can call me Guan Shan or Shanzi!” He introduced himself.
“I’m Li Shigun!”
“Li Jingsheng!”
“Li Guang! Li Tianzuo is my paternal uncle! Li Big Dog is my cousin!”
“Li Chenghe!”
“Li Chengjiang, I’m Chenghe’s second elder brother!”
“Li Changchong, I’m Jingsheng’s younger brother!”
“Li Chenghai, I’m the eldest brother of Chengjiang and Chenghe!”
“Li Shimo, I’m Shigun’s younger brother.”
…
“We’ll temporarily form a squad for combat. I’ll be the squad leader. Li Tianzuo, you’re deputy squad leader!”
“Got it!”
“Deputy Li Tianyou will lead a combat team called First Group. You’re the leader! Li Big Dog and Li Guang, you both join your uncle’s group and follow his command!”
“Alright!”
“Middle!”
“Li Chenghai, you and your two younger brothers form a three-man combat team. You’ll be leader of the Second Group!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Brother, you called me wrong. The Kuomintang calls their officers ‘sir.’ We call ours ‘chief.’”
“Didn’t you just say not to call me chief?”
“Well, you can’t call me sir either!”
“…”
“Li Jingsheng, Li Dachong! Li Shimo, Li Shigun! Among the four of you, who’s best at climbing mountains and trees?”
“Leader, I’m good at climbing. I’m Li Chenghe, and I want to be group leader!”
“Third brother, you think you’re good at climbing? Dare to prove it?” The young man named Li Shigun or Li Shimo retorted.
“Whoa, whoa, you two aren’t ashamed? When it comes to climbing, my brother Jingsheng is the best!”
“Enough nonsense…”
“Alright, stop fighting!” Guan Shan quickly intervened and assigned, “First Group leader!”
“Ah? Oh, that’s me. Here, yes!” Li Chenghai was a bit taken aback.
“Take good care of your men!” Guan Shan ordered.
“Yes!” Li Chenghai puffed out his chest, dragged his younger brother over, and gave him a light kick on the backside.
“Second Group! Your group is the most disciplined. Commendations!”
Guan Shan led the applause, joined enthusiastically by the uncle-nephew trio Li Tianyou.
“Li Jingsheng, Li Shimo, Li Shigun! The three of you will compete on the spot. The winner will be leader of the Third Group, agreed?” Guan Shan paused, patted his waist, and said, “Winner gets a hand grenade as a reward!”
Thank you for reading and feel free to recommend!
(End of chapter)