When the Yangtze River Fleet of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army decided to set sail, they encountered a small problem. Surgical operation is not just finished after cutting and stitching. It includes post-operative observation, maintaining anti-inflammation, post-operative physical recovery guidance, and even removing stitches. This series of work requires professional knowledge. Leaving a few doctors behind for a teenage patient was obviously inappropriate, and taking the teenager on board to continue sailing upstream was also inappropriate. Leaving the teenager in Baidi City, Fengjie, also made the officers and soldiers of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, who had relatively procedural thinking, feel inappropriate.

Fleet Commander Zhu Yao managed to stop himself from saying meaningless nonsense with difficulty. Serving the people is right, and carrying forward the revolutionary spirit of healing the wounded and rescuing the dying is also right. But pursuing perfection is great nonsense. If doctors were omnipotent, there would be no such thing as dying from illness in this world.

The fleet political commissar was once very dissatisfied with Zhu Yao's attitude, but at this time he was also unwilling to continue talking. After all, the medical knowledge and treatment procedures possessed by the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army were far higher than those of the local people. If anyone in the army dared to say that it was over after performing surgery on the commanders and fighters of the army, it would not only end in being cursed to death, but the person holding this attitude would also be subject to disciplinary action.

At this point, the fleet could only hold a Party Committee meeting to solve the problem. Hearing the political commissar briefly introduce the situation, the comrades of the Party Committee also fell silent. As a comrade with eight years of naval qualifications, Fleet Deputy Commander Gao Meng was 24 years old this year. So he spoke more frankly, asking: "Political Commissar, do you want everyone to bear the responsibility together, or do you want everyone to vote by raising hands?"

Voting by raising hands means bearing responsibility, and any resolution of the Party Committee must be recorded. No matter how the political commissar listened to Gao Meng's words, he felt very unfriendly, but in a blink of an eye, he was relieved. Since there was no meeting and voting before treatment, a Party Committee voting was to be held after treatment. Regardless of what the political commissar initially thought, everyone had completely legitimate reasons to suspect that the political commissar was suspected of dragging everyone down as scapegoats afterwards.

In theory, whoever decides to start bears the result. However, the members of the People's Party have a privilege that is "more equal" than others, that is, doing well is a duty, and responsibility cannot be escaped if something goes wrong. Everyone was repeatedly told before joining the party that guys who treated this warning as a deaf ear had bad luck.

Fortunately, Zhu Yao interrupted, "Don't talk about who is right and who is wrong in this matter. I ask now, does anyone oppose not leaving people behind and setting sail directly at this time? Also, we have to notify the comrades about leaving some anti-inflammatory drugs."

Zhu Yao said this to show that he would bear the responsibility. Since he didn't want to drag everyone down as scapegoats, the comrades no longer raised objections. The control of drugs in the army was very strict. One of the important tasks of each party meeting was to study the notification and handling of various typical incidents. Cases of execution for privately reselling and stealing drugs were not studied just once or twice. Zhu Yao asking everyone to supervise in this matter was not because he had nothing better to do.

Leaving medical advice and drugs, repeatedly emphasizing the usage method and dosage of anti-inflammatory drugs to the mother, the fleet used a small boat to pick up the doctor back to the warship before continuing to advance.

In the subsequent voyage, the political commissar appeared extremely silent; he just silently did his specific work. Zhu Yao was busy commanding the fleet navigation along the way. When the fleet passed Yibin, Zhu Yao had to talk to the political commissar personally, "Political Commissar, did I speak too directly and make you unhappy?"

At this time, the political commissar had completed the inspection of logistic materials in the cabin. He wiped his sweat and said: "Unhappiness is only one aspect. I am thinking whether we can finish the work quickly and then return to Baidi City as soon as possible to see that child."

"Baidi City has passed. It's meaningless for you to keep thinking about Baidi City," Zhu Yao advised.

"Being criticized by comrades, even if I am unhappy, I don't feel wronged. But I really don't want to let go of this matter in Baidi City." The political commissar tried his best to adhere to the attitude of seeking truth from facts and spoke very honestly.

Zhu Yao looked at the political commissar with regret, "You have to let go even if you can't. This matter has passed. From the moment we left Baidi City, the life and death of that child are not led by us. Political Commissar, don't have the illusion that we still have influence on that child."

The political commissar shook his head slightly, "The principles have been said countless times, but if I can't let go in my heart, I just can't let go."

Seeing the political commissar's firm attitude, Zhu Yao couldn't persuade him anymore: "Then you can't say nothing either. Work is not just burying your head in doing it. You have to communicate."

"There were big problems with the last party meeting, and I am also reflecting on the mistakes of the last time. Party meetings really can't be held casually, nor can just anything be raised casually." The political commissar sighed.

Zhu Yao disagreed with this, "I think the last party meeting was held well. What should be said was said, and comrades also expressed their opinions and attitudes. The purpose of the meeting is to express attitudes and solve problems. It's not that every time must be a meeting of unity and victory. If there is any problem, I think the meeting was not finished, and some things were not discussed clearly."

The political commissar stared at Zhu Yao with a gloomy face. If he hadn't maintained basic trust in Zhu Yao, the political commissar would have thoroughly questioned whether Zhu Yao wanted to beat a drowning dog politically. While the two were silent and speechless like this, the signalman who came in from outside relieved the embarrassment well. "Report! The survey ship encountered river channel problems."

"Meeting!" Zhu Yao ordered.

The two major cities in the Sichuan area in 1918 were Chongqing and Chengdu. The order received by the fleet was to see if they could reach Chengdu directly. At this time, the fleet had long turned from the Yangtze River into the Min River from Yibin. Before departure, the troops collected a large amount of intelligence. It was just that this intelligence looked like various stuff compiled by literati at first glance. There was much lyricism, and specific numbers were extremely scarce. The fleet was equipped with a scientific research ship for the purpose of field measurement of hydrological data of the Yangtze River and Min River. Thanks to the scientific research ship, the fleet hadn't encountered too many problems in these two rivers and managed to advance to the current position.

"We are approaching the Leshan area. There are too many problems with this river channel; the survey ship can't make it. As it looks now, only a few small gunboats of 300 tons can pass this section. Transport ships with very shallow drafts can almost pass too." The commander in charge of surveying reported the situation facing the map.

Thousand-ton warships had thick armor, fierce firepower, and many personnel. The existing artillery in such a closed province as Sichuan could not directly penetrate the armor. However, warships of more than 200 tons might not necessarily be able to defend against the enemy's heavy firepower.

"Many ants bite an elephant to death. If the enemy transports heavy firepower here like crazy, I'm afraid we can't hold it." Zhu Ting was very worried about this.

"Doesn't it say that Sichuan warlords are fighting each other now? We haven't seen enemies in established units until now; are they hiding because of fear!" Gao Meng started joking.

"I really don't want to see enemies in established units." Zhu Yao didn't want to joke. This action was almost a military adventure. The only difference from a military adventure was that the troops did not come to Sichuan to start a war, nor did they set military strike targets. Even so, the military commanders at the Party Committee meeting were very nervous in their hearts. The millions of mu of fertile fields in the Chengdu Plain were the foundation for Sichuan being called the Land of Abundance. The Yangtze River Fleet not encountering strikes in Chongqing did not mean they would not encounter strikes near Chengdu. The space for warships to dodge in the Yangtze River was very small. With insufficient hydrological data on the Min River, whether the fleet could sail to the vicinity of Chengdu was still a big question.

Hearing the comrades say a lot, the political commissar, whose mood was originally annoyed, appeared even more angry, "Then might as well look at the problem from the most difficult angle. If our warships encounter enemy shelling in the Min River, how big is the caliber of the enemy's artillery? How fast is the firing rate? How is the training of the gunners?"

Gao Meng was mainly responsible for fleet artillery. He pondered slightly and answered readily: "Although I don't know the specific situation, I don't have any illusions about Sichuan's gunners and artillery."

This explanation was very pale and feeble. No matter what in theory, that was theory. Just as the fleet didn't expect to hit a reef at Yanyu Pile causing damage to a warship. Moreover, they didn't encounter any attacks when passing through Chongqing, but facing Chengdu, the nominal provincial capital of Sichuan, the fleet really dared not take it lightly.

"If we turn back now, I think we can be considered to have completed the task." Zhu Yao said hesitantly.

"The advantage of ships lies in their ability to move continuously. Giving up this advantage, we can only be beaten passively." The political commissar also came from the old inland river fleet, plus he was angry in his heart, so his attitude appeared particularly tough. "Since big ships can't pass, why not form a detachment of small ships to continue advancing. If precise measurement can't be done, do rough measurement. The main force of the fleet moves back and forth between Yibin and Leshan. Measure on one hand, and attract attention from all sides on the other. Going downstream saves fuel; the fuel for half the journey doesn't have to be enough for half."

If the original action was called risky, what the political commissar proposed now was true adventure, or at least the risk increased greatly. However, the political commissar's attitude was very firm, "I will be responsible for the detachment continuing to advance. The order of the Military Commission must be carried out to the end."

Under such a dispute, it was turn to suspect whether the political commissar harbored revenge. But the order of the Military Commission was indeed to advance to Chengdu as much as possible. Currently, Sichuan troops did not appear at all. The chaos in Sichuan directly manifested only as a low-level situation within local warlords. Without telegraphs along the Yangtze River basin and targeted early warning systems, it was impossible to implement effective attacks on the fleet.

Finally, under the insistence of the political commissar, the suggestion he proposed was passed. The fleet was divided into two parts; one part continued up the Min River, and the other part did measurement work while creating illusions with maneuvers.

By the evening of May 1st, which was Labor Day in the base area, the detachment was approaching Dujiangyan. The Military Commission's plan clearly stated that Dujiangyan was the furthest target of this voyage.

"There is really no military force to invest in Dujiangyan maintenance." The political commissar looked at that inconspicuous water conservancy facility and couldn't help sighing. Dujiangyan is the oldest water conservancy facility in the world, and its design reached a nearly perfect level. Since Li Bing and his son successfully completed this water conservancy facility, the Chengdu Plain "followed people's will in floods and droughts, knew no famine, had no lean years, and the world called it the Land of Abundance."

However, after the small boat carried the political commissar and soldiers to land on Dujiangyan, the situation seen was indeed as stated in the People's Party's report: no one had repaired this water conservancy facility for a long time. According to records, Dujiangyan needed maintenance once a year, but after the collapse of the Manchu Qing, no one in Sichuan cared about infrastructure anymore.

Just like the Feishayan (Flying Sand Weir) where the political commissar stood, it was built by piling up bamboo cages filled with pebbles. The top of the weir was made to a suitable height to play a role in regulating water volume. When the water level of the Inner River was too high, the floodwater would overflow the Feishayan through the flat water trough and flow into the Outer River, so that the water volume entering the Baopingkou (Precious Bottle Mouth) would not be too large, protecting the Inner River irrigation area from floods; at the same time, the water flow overflowing the Feishayan into the Outer River produced eddies. Due to centrifugal action, sediment and even huge stones would be thrown over the Feishayan, so it could also effectively reduce sediment deposition around the Baopingkou.

However, the bamboo cages that should have been clearly seen were already buried under sand and soil. Only places close to the river water showed some traces of bamboo cages soaked for a long time. Other places were completely covered under sand, soil, and gravel, as if it were a small island in the water formed completely naturally.

The political commissar bent down to grab a handful of sand and soil, then stood up. This was Sichuan, the recent target of the People's Party. Among the civil affairs goals, once Sichuan was liberated, besides repairing Dujiangyan as soon as possible, there was also the work of seizing the time to complete the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway. Regarding the Railway Protection Movement that caused a sensation in Sichuan back then, the result analyzed in the materials collected by the People's Party was that the Manchu Qing government once let the local Sichuan undertake railway construction. As a result, the survey and other actions arranged by the government had been completed, but the engineering funds allocated by the Manchu Qing were either embezzled or misappropriated, and the railway bonds issued locally were embezzled by that group of gentry. The government finally prepared to take back the road building rights and solve it by the government. So Sichuan made a big fuss.

The Manchu Qing was certainly guilty of heinous crimes, but one thing is one thing; it cannot be said that the Railway Protection Movement was the Manchu Qing acting recklessly. If the Manchu Qing had responsibility, it was that the government's execution ability was too low. So low that it hadn't had time to make mistakes in the matter of building railways.

However, when the political commissar thought of this matter, what he associated in his heart was his own work. The People's Party had strong execution power. If not for this execution power, he could not have gone upstream a thousand miles against the current with his comrades and stood on Dujiangyan in one month. But the result brought by this execution power was that there were too many choices for everything. Politics, military, organizational order. When these forces were twisted into a rope, they were indeed invincible. How to straighten out these complex relationships when the goal was not clear enough was indeed a very difficult thing.

Thinking of the dispute with Zhu Ting a few days ago, the political commissar felt more irritable in his heart. However, the guard had already run over, "Political Commissar, guys looking like enemies appeared."

"Retreat." The political commissar answered neatly. If facing a war with a quite clear stance, any command would be easy. The officers and soldiers of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army knew why they fought. Even if it was dangerous, it was at most death. Going up the river this time was to demonstrate power and prepare for the comprehensive liberation of Sichuan in the next step.

The gunboats and transport ships had completed turning around. When the commanders and fighters all boarded the ships, the whistle sounded on the Chengdu Plain for the first time. Regardless of what those people who surrounded them in fear and trembling thought, the small fleet weighed anchor and began to go downstream. The return journey was indeed fast. Even without the speed of Li Taibai's "returning to Jiangling a thousand miles away in one day," the fleet returned to Leshan in less than half the time of going upstream. After joining the main force of the fleet, the fleet embarked on the return journey.

By May 7, the fleet returned to Baidi City again. The observer saw from a distance that a simple lighthouse had been erected on the high bank, and the red light was an electric lamp. Only the large troops of the People's Party could have such equipment. "Fengjie has been liberated!" The observer couldn't help shouting loudly to the comrades.

Both Zhu Ting and the political commissar breathed a long sigh of relief. As long as they were in the liberated area with a strong organization as backing, all problems could be solved easily. Dealing with the many problems encountered according to various priorities, at least that child's life was saved.

The fleet docked at Fengjie. The comrades who came to welcome immediately came up to ask about the process of this voyage and the situations encountered, including photos of various key positions on both banks of the Yangtze River and Min River, and hand-drawn topographic maps. These were important materials for continuing to march into Sichuan.

After finishing these with difficulty, before Zhu Ting and the political commissar had time to ask about that child, the comrade stationed in Fengjie asked: "As far as we know, you performed an operation in Fengjie?"

"Yes." The political commissar replied. He could see that the expression of the local comrade indicated something bad.

Sure enough, the local comrade said seriously: "That child died."

"What?" Both the political commissar and Zhu Ting almost jumped up, "The operation was very successful."

"Yes, our medical staff examined the child's body; there was no problem with the operation. That child died of bacterial infection caused after the operation." The local comrade replied.

"Impossible. We gave that child's mother medical advice and anti-inflammatory drugs." The political commissar stood up and said loudly.

The local comrade nodded, "We also investigated this matter. That child's mother also said you gave medicine, but she felt fine at first and didn't take it every day according to medical advice. Later, when the child developed a high fever due to bacterial infection, in her desperation, she gave all the medicine to the child to eat at once..."

The political commissar sat back in his seat dejectedly. He probably heard the local comrade say that this matter had been investigated and the comrades of the fleet were not responsible. However, the political commissar's chaotic brain had no reaction to this information at all. What he could be sure of was that if they hadn't been so anxious to continue upstream at that time, or if they had left a doctor behind, this child probably wouldn't have died. But could they do these things at that time? After reflection these days, the political commissar actually admitted that what Zhu Ting said was correct. The order of the Military Commission was for the fleet to go up the river, not to be living Bodhisattvas to cure diseases and save people. Moreover, if no doctor had operated at that time, that child wouldn't have lasted three days. The appendix already showed signs of ulceration. Once the ulcerated pus entered the abdominal cavity, even an immortal couldn't save him back.

The fleet was short of fuel and had to return to Wuhan to report the situation. The originally silent political commissar became even more silent along the way. When he arrived in Wuhan and reported his work, the political commissar simply went directly to find General Political Commissar He Zudao. Apart from He Zudao, the political commissar really didn't know who could completely untie this knot in his heart.

PS: This book will be finished in three or four months. Although it may not be achieved, Feihong will try hard to update twice a day, tentatively set at 6 am and 6 pm.

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