Author: Ran Huaizhou | Graphic co-ordination: Li Wubing
Ran Huaizhou:
He used to be the head of the creative group of the Ministry of Culture of the Railway Army, a professor of the Literature Department of the People's Liberation Army Academy of Arts, and a member of the Chinese Writers Association. He was born in November 1937 in Jiucheng Village, Gaoyang County, Hebei Province. His childhood was spent in the anti-Japanese guerrilla war in the Jizhong Plain. At the beginning of 1951, he graduated from primary school in his hometown and was admitted to Baoding No. 1 Middle School in the provincial capital, where he began to love literature and practice writing. In 1956, he was admitted to the Chinese Department of Nankai University, and after graduating in 1961, he successively engaged in literary editing, creation, criticism and teaching at the Tianjin Federation of Literary and Artistic Union, Railway Soldiers, and the People's Liberation Army Academy of Arts. His published works include more than 40 novels, such as the novels "No Invasion", "Green Pastoral Red Blood", the prose collection "Caiyun", "Rural Whispers", and the poetry collection "Nostalgia".
"Iron Chronicle" remember them
Ran Huaizhou
These days, I have been receiving letters from comrades in Tianjin, saying that from September 11, the project of bringing water from Luan to Tianjin will be officially opened, and they will end the "suffering of drinking water" and drink sweet water; They also prepared tea leaves, hoping that I would go to Tianjin on the day of the official opening of the water, and invite me to drink a cup of sweet Luanhe water.
Reading these letters, I am happy from the bottom of my heart. I have worked in Tianjin for many years, I have tasted the bitterness of drinking water, and now the people of Tianjin have drunk sweet water, how can I not bless it! My mood was very uneasy, and my thoughts flowed wildly, and I naturally thought of those who would benefit the people. I had the opportunity to live among them, and because of my work, I have been to the construction site of Luanjin many times, and I have seen with my own eyes the scene of digging a 20-mile tunnel through the mountains and water diversion. An old chief once proudly said to me, "If someone asks what is bravery? Then invite him to come to the cave, and he will not have to work, but only stand for six hours, and I say he is a brave man. "I think that anyone who has witnessed the construction of the water diversion tunnel must have deeply felt that when the commanders and fighters walked down hundreds of stone steps every day and entered the dark, stony, water-gushing, and constantly collapsing tunnel, they were already fully mentally prepared, and they could sacrifice their precious lives at any time in order to open the tunnel as soon as possible and bring the water of the Luanhe River to Tianjin.
There is a company commander who came to Tianjin in 1976 for earthquake relief and rushed to repair factories and houses. This time, he brought the company with him again. Their company, with its outstanding achievements, has become a banner on the construction site.
This is a very optimistic young man, and when asked why he was able to lead the company in a surprise attack at the cost of his life, he said: "Life is attractive to anyone. Who wants to die? Unless it's the cowards and weaklings of life. But if there is a moment when you really need to give these hundred and ten catties, then you should stand up without any scruples. In this way, life makes sense. ”
Once the cannon was fired, he checked the readiness and gave the order to ignite. The heart-digging cannon was ignited, the auxiliary cannon was ignited, the edge cannon and the top cannon were ignited, the bottom cannon was also lit, thirty fuses, only three remained, and in a dozen seconds, they could set these last three on fire, and then evacuate the scene and listen to the rumbling cannon sound of the mountain. But at this moment, a fuse ignited quickly, and a bottom cannon detonated prematurely. For a time, the deafening roar, the ballast flying around, and the pungent and spicy gunsmoke filled the face of the palm.
The company commander quickly calmed down from the shock and found that all the comrades were still alive, only one was wounded. He ordered the comrades who were not wounded to carry the wounded out quickly, but he turned around and went to light the last three with the twenty-six fuses of fire. The fuse that was swishing and burning quickly shortened the distance between life and death for this company commander, but with his own experience, or rather, with his heart for the benefit of the people, he calmly and quickly lit the last three fuses and knocked on the door of death. As a result, he survived safely, and because of his bravery, he did not leave any hidden dangers, endangered the lives of others, and caused unforeseen losses.
In order to bring the water of the Luanhe River to Tianjin as soon as possible, they worked desperately. There was a Hani warrior who lost both legs and a right arm during a construction trip. When he put on his prosthetic leg and returned to the company, he saw that his comrades-in-arms were contributing to Luan Jinjin, and he actually practiced walking with tenacious perseverance. It took him three months to finally get rid of his crutches and wheelchair, and he took over the task of the company's regimental artillery mud. In the harsh winter season, walking back and forth on the construction site was so cold that his feet hurt, but this crippled soldier sat for three or four hours at a time, using his left hand to gather the cold cannon mud. The company commander saw that he had been sitting for too long and asked him to go back to warm up, but he said with a smile: His prosthetic leg is frost-resistant. In half a year, he gathered more than a ton of cannon mud. And, every night, he always stood at the sentry post in the barracks, standing upright on two prosthetic legs, holding the steel gun tightly with his left hand, guarding the barracks. What a valuable contribution. But when his comrades praised him and his superiors praised him, he said shyly: "What have I done? It's just doing what I can! ”
So the living, and then the dead. There was a soldier who, in order to lure Luan into Tianjin, took the initiative to ask to be a security officer. In tunnel construction, the safety officer is the most unsafe, he has to rush into danger first, to fight the Grim Reaper! In the rocky cave, he used a steel drill to pry off dangerous rocks and leave the safety to his comrades behind him. This soldier, when he asked to be a safety officer, once assured the party branch of the company: "In order to lure Luan into Tianjin, I voluntarily undertake the most dangerous task, even if I die here, I am willing." "His actions confirmed his oath. Not only did he give up his family leave, but he also couldn't write letters to his family for a long time because of his constant overtime.
One afternoon, coming up from the cave, he received a letter from home. The letter said that the family introduced him to a partner and asked him to write a reply. In the evening, he didn't even finish the reply, so he went to work overtime again. When he walked out of the tent, he tucked the quilt for a soldier who was suffering from a high fever, and instructed: "Remember to take medicine on time, get up in the morning and change your clothes, and take you to Qianxi County to take a bath tomorrow...... and then went into the cave. The weathered stones caused a serious collapse in the cave, he carried a hundred-kilogram beam wood on the rack, and pried off a piece of dangerous stones, and then rode on the beam wood, back against the top of the cave and smashed the nails with an axe. In a few minutes he could connect the stringer to the beam, use it against the falling rock, and he could jump down and report to the company commander as usual, and complete the task victoriously. Tomorrow he can finish writing that letter, and he can take his sick comrades to Qianxi County to take a bath...... But at this moment, a boulder fell down, and he died for the Luan Jinjin project. His last words in the world were to instruct his comrades-in-arms to bring water to Tianjin as soon as possible...
Now, the water of the Luanhe River is about to be brought to Tianjin, which is a great comfort to both the dead and the living. Aren't they bleeding and sweating just so that such a day will come as soon as possible? As long as the people of Tianjin can drink sweet water, it is compensation for the huge price they have paid, and they are very satisfied.
This is the one who works for the people. The people of Tianjin, for these people who bring happiness to themselves, should remember their merits!
August 28, 1983 in Beijing
Editor: Li Wubin/Li Xunxiu Editorial Department of Qingyanwei Literature