The Gao Family Courtyard was heavily guarded, with dozens of servants patrolling day and night, and a machine gun set up on the roof. Those who didn't know it thought it was some important station.
Gaojia Village is a large village near Liu Town, with a population of more than 2,000 people and nearly 5,000 acres of land. Almost all of it is in the name of the Gao Wanhe family. Most of the villagers make a living by renting the Gao family's fields.
There are five brothers and sisters in the Gao family. The eldest, Gao Wanliang, holds an important position in the government office of Chief Yan. The third, Gao Wanren, has also done well after defecting to the Japanese. He is a master with people on both sides. No wonder he doesn't take the Eighth Route Army in his eyes.
In fact, what many people don't know is that the fourth child in their family, Gao Wancheng, joined the organization when he was in college. He is now a battalion commander of the Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi, and his rank is higher than Chu Xiong.
They would not tell outsiders about Gao Wancheng even if they were dead or alive.
In the Republic of China, it was not uncommon for several brothers in a family like the Gao family to belong to different camps. To use a fashionable saying:
"To each his own!"
"Second brother, you will not end well if you confront the government like this. The policies of the Eighth Route Army are not excessive. They are all for the purpose of resisting Japan. Do you think these dozens of rabble-rousers in our family can stop the Eighth Route Army?"
The speaker was Gao Xiaoling, the youngest child of the Gao family, their fifth sister, a graduate of the provincial normal college, and a passionate young man.
She is persuading her second brother to accept the Eighth Route Army's rent and interest reduction policy.
"Fifth sister, don't worry about my second brother. The Eighth Route Army has policies and they don't dare to mess around!"
Gao Wanhe's confidence is not limited to this. The third son of his family has already sent him a message. The Japanese appreciate him very much and plan to make him the mayor of Liuzhen. They also agree to expand their guard team into an imperial association. All the weapons and equipment required for the military camp are borne by the Japanese.
The Japanese are gathering their forces. When the imperial army comes, Liuzhen will still be dominated by the imperial army. The Eighth Route Army alone cannot stop the imperial army.
It's no wonder that Gao Wanhe is full of confidence. Almost many so-called knowledgeable people are not optimistic about the prospects of the war, and there is a defeatist mood permeating everyone.
Seeing that she couldn't convince her second brother, Gao Xiaoling had no choice but to give up and left sullenly.
That night, Shitou led a group to quietly sneak into the Gao family compound. How could those two-handed swordsmen guard against them?
While the Gao brothers and sisters were talking, Shitou was lying on their roof beam listening to the corner.
After Gao Xiaoling left, Gao Wanhe returned to the inner house, where his third concubine was waiting for him.
"Madam, when will the imperial army come? I'm really worried that the Eighth Route Army will attack the Gao family compound before the imperial army comes."
"Wanhe, don't worry. The imperial army is mobilizing troops to regain Liu Town. In a few days, Liu Town will still be ruled by the imperial army. By then, you, the mayor, will be the local emperor of Liu Town..."
"Madam, it's getting late, we..."
Shitou saw that a couple were about to get into trouble, so naturally he had no interest in continuing to listen.
I originally wanted to come here to get evidence of Gao Wan and colluding with the Japanese, but now it's better. Even his third concubine is a Japanese spy. It seems that the Japanese have been infiltrating our country for more than a day or two.
This was a new situation. In order not to alert the enemy, Shitou decided to go back and report the detected situation to the company commander first.
After hearing the information that the Japanese were going to attack Liuzhen, Shitou rushed back to Liuzhen overnight and reported the information to the company commander.
"Company Commander, the situation reported by Shitou must arouse our great attention, and we must be prepared to deal with the Japanese raids!"
Li Qing first put forward his opinion.
Chu Xiong nodded, took over the conversation and said:
"Our biggest problem now is the lack of intelligence support and lack of understanding of the Japs' movements. According to my understanding of the Japs, the Japs are still focused on big cities and have no energy to take care of small places like Liuzhen. The third aunt of the Gao family Don’t take your words too seriously.”
"In this case, Shitou, you take the Tiger Squad to the direction of Anping City and keep an eye on the Japanese. If they want to move out, there will be signs. We have already wiped out a squadron of the Anping City garrison. It will be difficult for them to protect themselves unless the Japanese reinforce Anping City."
"Once you discover that the Japanese are reinforcing Anping City, report back immediately. Others will continue to keep an eye on the Japanese and have to wait for new orders!"
"Li Qing, you take a group of people with me to Gaojia Village, and we'll go directly to the Gaojia Village!"
Li Qing heard that the company commander wanted to directly take down the Gao family, and quickly raised objections. Li Qing, an old revolutionary, has rich struggle experience and strong principles.
"Company Commander, we have no evidence that the Gao family is collaborating with the enemy. If we just deal with the Gao family like this, we will be labeled as undermining the united front!"
"Li Qing, the Jinsui Army is now on one side. There are only a few cities left under their control. Their influence is limited. As long as they capture the Gao Family Courtyard, there will be evidence. Believe it or not, they are just talking. Even if you come up with irrefutable evidence, they will still deny it.”
"Time waits for no one, and we can't let the Gao family hold back the construction of the base area. Since the Gao family wants to be the leader, I will kill the chicken to scare the monkeys!"
Chu Xiong's words were full of murderous intent, and Li Qing and others could only acquiesce.
One day later, a platoon of soldiers surrounded the Gao family's mansion and stormed into the Gao family's compound in just ten minutes. Gao Wanhe and his third concubine were captured alive. A large number of letters were found from his inner house, all written by Gao. Ironclad evidence that Wanhe colluded with the Japanese and puppets.
Gao Wanhe and his third concubine were shot and executed for collaborating with the enemy after a public trial in Gaojia Village. Most of their wealth was confiscated, and all the land they had robbed was returned to the victims.
The other land and houses were distributed to other landless and houseless farmers, leaving only dozens of acres of land and one house for the rest of the Gao family.
The villagers of Gaojia Village beat gongs and drums to celebrate!
Villagers who have obtained land have signed up to join the militia to defend their hard-won land.
The land problem in Gaojia Village was completely resolved, and the Eighth Route Army quickly took root in Gaojia Village.
Only the Gao family was very dissatisfied. Gao Xiaoling went to Chu Xiong to complain about this matter.
"Company Commander Chu, if I remember correctly, when the Eighth Route Army was reorganized, it was clearly stipulated that the rough land policy of attacking local tyrants to divide their land was not allowed. Your treatment of the Gao family in this way is undermining the anti-Japanese united front. Please think again!"
Chu Xiong did not expect that Gao Xiaoling was still a person who understood policy.
"Miss Gao, there is irrefutable evidence that your Gao family colluded with the Japanese and puppets! The government also has express regulations on suppressing traitors and confiscating their property. I am just acting in accordance with the regulations."
"Besides, our Eighth Route Army only punished the chief culprit and did not harm your family. We also left you enough to ensure your livelihood, property and land. We only confiscated most of the illegal gains."
Chu Xiong's words left Gao Xiaoling speechless, and she was directly labeled as a traitor. Her second brother had also heard about colluding with the Japanese. She also warned her second brother, but unfortunately he didn't listen.
Gao Xiaoling is also a sensible person. She also admitted that the Eighth Route Army did not do everything right this time and had conclusive evidence. She came to protest just to fight for more rights.
"Company Commander Chu, my second brother cannot represent the entire Gao family. My eldest brother and fourth brother are also fighting against the Japanese. You can't label the entire Gao family as traitors. We can't afford it!"
"Miss Gao, don't worry, our Eighth Route Army will not engage in any scheming. Your Gao family's property is not limited to this. This time, your Gao family will just cut off its tail to survive.
Fighting the Japanese is a matter of great right and wrong. You should understand this. If it makes a big fuss, it will not be good for your Gao family! "
Now that the matter has come to this, Gao Xiaoling does not intend to continue making trouble. There is no point in making trouble. The Eighth Route Army has great righteousness, and the Gao family cannot bear the big label of traitor. After seeing that the Eighth Route Army clearly stated that they should be treated differently, she will not say more.
"Chu Xiong, I've taken note of you, we'll see!"
Gao Xiaoling snorted and left.
