Chapter 29 Hard March

March in East Africa is the season when the rainy season comes. Amidst the rumbling thunder, heavy rain pours down. The raindrops are dense and impactful. On the ground with sparse vegetation and exposed loess, the strong rainstorm washes away the soil. After a short while, it turned into a filthy quagmire.

The dirty rainwater gradually gathered, bypassing the grassland and high slopes, and thousands of small streams of water flowed along the depressions and ravines into the river.

The Little Rhine is no longer as calm as it used to be. It has become turbulent. The rolling river water is mixed with driftwood, weeds, and sediment in the upper reaches. It is advancing rapidly along the river.

In the paddy fields of the Second Town (Lufu), overflowing rainwater poured continuously into the river along the drainage channels. The rice was knocked to and fro by the rain and strong winds. The houses made of grass, trees and bricks were crumbling in the violent storm. , roaring to lift everything visible on the land of East Africa into the sky.

This kind of storm is very common in the rainy season. In the dry season, the entire Africa is like a pool of stagnant water. The entire grassland is uninhabited for thousands of miles. Occasionally, explorers and hunters observe hundreds of animals migrating on the vast withered grassland. The African continent is in complete silence.

When it comes to the rainy season, the entire African continent seems to be alive, with rainwater that has been stored for more than half a year pounding the continent violently. However, the more life is faced with this terrible natural scene, the more prosperous it becomes. The dry rivers on the entire grassland It has become winding and intricate.

The withered plants were replaced with new green clothes, wildebeests and antelopes were chasing the most abundant water plants in groups, hippos were having fun in the lakes, and crocodiles were wandering around waiting for opportunities.

…

All things are full of vitality.

But this is not good news for the East African advance group that is advancing inland.

Andre, the captain of the fourth team, was sitting on a rock, holding a knife in his hand and scraping the mud on his shoes.

Staff officer Zhou Wei directed his men to count the supplies: "Remember to put the food and ammunition on the top of the vehicle frame so that they don't touch the ground and get wet."

"How to put up this rainproof cloth, what to do if rainwater seeps in, everything must be arranged strictly according to the training procedures! We still have a long way to go, and we must ensure the safety of food and ammunition."

The sudden heavy rain just now forced the advance team's march to stop, and the team took a temporary rest on a high ground.

"Zhou! Let's not leave today. Let's rest here for a day. We have been traveling for the past two weeks. The team's mental state has dropped a lot. We still need to ease the team's mood." Andre said to Zhou Wei preached.

Zhou Wei looked around and saw that the rain was a little lighter, but it was still falling. He didn’t know when it would end, so he nodded and said: "Mr. Andre, you are right. The main reason is that the time is too tight, so we I chose the most unsuitable time to set out, but I didn’t expect the heavy rain here would be so heavy!”

Andre said with a smile: "Seeing this rain reminds me of the days when I was on the European battlefield. At that time, I was a new soldier and camped out with the army for the first time. It suddenly started raining heavily in the middle of the night. We were In order to march quickly, the temporary rest station was located in a depression. As a result, the shelters built were soaked in puddles. Many troops did not even have dry clothes. They wore wet clothes the next day to fight Napoleon's army. "

Zhou Wei listened to the story told by Andre. Zhou Wei had seen Napoleon in the textbook. He was indeed a hero of his generation. Andre actually participated in the anti-French war that year, but thinking about it, Andre was about the same age. , Andre didn't say how old he was, but Zhou Wei inferred from Andre's appearance that he was at least fifty.

"Mr. Andre, your past is indeed exciting!"

"Thank you for your compliment, Zhou. I was surprised by your performance. I went to primary school and had never seen Qing people at that time. I only saw the appearance of Qing people in the teacher's album. Our teacher said that all Chinese people He had big braids that were long for both men and women, and he liked to smoke opium, and he always looked depressed," Andre recalled.

"Later, I retired and was hired by the Hechingen Company and came to East Africa. They transferred my salary to my family's bank account. It was my first time to cross the ocean and come to such a distant place. It’s the first time I’ve met Chinese people.”

Andre continued: "When they first got off the ship, they did have braids and were malnourished, but the first rule in the colony was to cut off the braids and keep their hair short. After removing the braids, they did look different, especially After putting on the German military uniform, my energy and energy improved, and I saw that after cleaning, the Chinese looked more like the black-haired Italians on the Mediterranean coast."

"However, you Chinese soon changed my impression. In the early days of the East African colony, in the first town, your hard work made me realize that the Italians are not as good as you, because the Italians are too good at enjoying themselves. But At that time, I still thought that the Chinese were not as good as the Germans.”

"It wasn't until I met you, Zhou, that I completely changed my previous thoughts. Your cultural knowledge and rigorous spirit made me realize that the Chinese do not need to be compared. They are as good as us Germans. You know, my past Some of my comrades, including the French and British I met, were very rude."

Andre then expressed his thoughts: "You Chinese are just like us Prussians, you are natural soldiers and the best farmers in the world."

After Zhou Wei listened quietly to Andre's words, he said: "Mr. Andre, I want to correct something first. I have obtained the citizenship certificate issued by the Hechingen government, so I am also a German. And I believe that these people in front of me will also be in the future." You will be a part of the German Empire, because our principal, Mr. Ernst, said that no matter where you come from, as long as your heart is dedicated to Germany and you are willing to fight for it your whole life, then you are an authentic German. '."

Andre heard Zhou Wei's words and laughed loudly: "You are right, Zhou, I am narrow-minded."

…

It's getting late.

In the temporary camp, the members of the advance team who had been on the road these past few days fell asleep peacefully. Even though it was still raining outside, it could not disturb the sleeping team members at all.

The sentries were vigilant on the rainy night to prevent wild animals and other dangers from intruding. Zhou Wei would come out to check the posts from time to time. Everyone could sleep, but Zhou Wei could not. As a person who was educated at the Hechingen Military Academy, The education in school always reminds oneself that a qualified soldier must keep in mind that he should practice his own actions and do everything himself.

…

On the third day, the advance group set off on the road again after resting. The mud caused by rain made the march extremely difficult, but they moved unswervingly towards Lake Solon (Lake Tanganyika).