Ten pieces of silver dollar
2023-07-21
The second and sixth corps of the Red Army set out for the Long March from Sangzhi, and passed through Chenjiashan Village, Shuangxiqiao Town, Dayong County. The Kuomintang reactionaries took the opportunity to spread rumors and intimidate the masses: “Whoever dares to accommodate the Red Army or provide food, the whole family will be killed!” Then, the Kuomintang officers raided the village and robbed everything they saw. Therefore, the villagers were all in fear of those with guns. One evening, seeing a team advancing in the distance, Gong Zhanyan, a villager of Shuangxiqiao, followed the villagers to hide in the back mountain early for fear of being looted. The only radishes and cabbages left in his garden became his most worrying “property”.
The villagers were burning with anxiety on the mountain. However, they had no choice but to wait and pray to the God. The next morning, the bugle sounded at the leaning tower near the ditch, meaning the army finally drove away. Gong Zhanyan hurriedly ran down the mountain, only to find that half of the radishes and cabbages in his garden had been pulled out. He was so angry and wanted to punch walls and swear. But having a closer look, he found that the remaining four cabbages were the best and next to them was a section of bamboo. He curiously kicked a foot, a stack of silver dollar slipped out. There were some words written on the bamboo piece. Gong Zhanyan, who had studied in a private school for several years, recognized the words:
“I’m sorry, my fellow-townsman. I have eaten your cabbage without your permission, leaving only a few cabbage seeds. Here are ten pieces of silver dollar as compensation for your cabbage!” The words were signed by Wu and Liu from a regiment of the 16th division of the Red Army.
Gong Zhanyan was shocked. At that time, a piece of silver dollar could buy a quintal of grain. How could these radishes and cabbages be so valuable? He counted the pieces of silver dollar he had picked up. It was exactly ten pieces. Holding the silver dollar, he thought how there could be such a good army in the world. How could there be soldiers who don’t take things from the masses? When he calmed down, he suddenly thought about it and shouted to the mountain: “Come back, everyone! They are the Red Army. They don’t take things from the people and they are our own army ......”
The folks ran home and saw that the doors were intact. The vegetables were not less, and the firewood was more. The street was clean and tidy, not as messy and smelly as it was after the Kuomintang burned and looted a few days ago. Gong Zhanyan told everyone the origin of the ten pieces of silver dollar. The villagers were all moved. They hurried to catch up with the army and asked the soldiers to go home for some hot food and soup.
It was learned that the army was concerned about the safety of the villagers, only to stay overnight yesterday on a hasty departure. However, the soldiers who had just experienced the breakthrough battle were already out of strength because lack of food and warm clothes. The soldiers had long been physically exhausted and it seemed that they would not be able to hold on. Taking life support and marching into consideration, they had to eat Gong Zhanyan’s cabbages yesterday. Moreover, the commander urged them to leave four of the best cabbages and ten pieces of silver dollar. The soldiers could not refuse the villagers’ request and returned back to the village. However, in order not to implicate the villagers, the commander issued a military order of “four copper coins for a meal”. During the day, if the villagers did not accept the payment, the soldiers would not eat. At night, the soldiers slept in the cold wind on the street, and the villagers could not pull into the house in any way... The late autumn night was cold, but the Red Army in the villagers were full of warmth in hearts.
Gong Zhanyan found the commander and wanted to return the “huge sum” - ten pieces of silver dollar. The commander took Gong Zhanyan”s hand and said, “Brother, please take the money! We Party and the Red Army are strictly disciplined. We just hope that the villagers can live a good life. When we beat the enemies and win in the revolution, we will come back to help you chop wood and plant vegetables.” Gong Zhanyan could not say anything for a long time. Since then, the ten pieces of silver dollar have become his family heirloom.
This is the story of ten pieces of silver dollar. They demonstrate the glorious mission of the Red Army soldiers who sacrificed their lives to seek liberation and reflect the eternal original intention of the CPC members to serve the people wholeheartedly.
