Binjiang Police Affairs

Chapter 1482: Chapter 264: Easy Money

Compared to the 105th Army Special Warfare Group coming to Binjiang for training, Secretary Lu and Mayor Wang value the "homecoming" of the Binjiang Ship even more.

Although the Binjiang Ship is an old vessel that has been in service for 24 years, it is the first type of anti-ship missile frigate built independently by our country. During its years in service, it has patrolled the Nansha Islands four times and is the first warship of the People’s Navy to embark on a distant voyage to the southernmost border of our motherland, Zengmu Ansha!

Binjiang is the birthplace of the People’s Navy and has a deep connection with it.

On August 1, 1986, Navy Headquarters named it the "Binjiang Ship," which is a continuation of the Binjiang element in the Chinese Navy. It is an affirmation of the Double Support work in Binjiang and the highest honor given by the Navy to the Binjiang People.

For this reason, on major holidays, leaders from the Binjiang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government would specifically go to the East Sea Fleet to extend their heartfelt regards and kind care to all the officers and soldiers of the Binjiang Ship.

In little more than ten days, the Binjiang Ship will be coming home.

For the City Committee and Municipal Government, this is not only a significant event but also a very meaningful grand occasion.

Binjiang Daily and Binjiang TV Station reported the news of the Binjiang Ship’s impending homecoming the day before yesterday, spending nearly twenty minutes introducing the Binjiang Ship, which received a great response.

The phones of the Military District and the Double Support Office are nearly overwhelmed, with many units and citizens calling to inquire where the Binjiang Ship will dock after returning home, when it will be open to the public, if it will be possible to board the ship for tours, and if tickets will be necessary.

Many school principals and teachers have been calling the education committee, asking if they can organize student tours. It can be said that the Binjiang Ship’s homecoming truly stirred the patriotic enthusiasm of the entire city’s people.

Secretary Lu and Mayor Wang were pleased; soon after arriving at work on Monday, they wanted to listen to the reports on how to welcome the Binjiang Ship home and the plans for its public opening to Binjiang citizens.

Vice Mayor Qin and Commander Wang were secretly glad they worked overtime yesterday; otherwise, they truly would not know what to report to the Secretary and Mayor today.

"The Navy pays the utmost attention to etiquette. The Binjiang Ship will certainly have flags hanging when it enters the port. Director Zheng of the Navy Retirement Home is seeking approval from the superior as to whether salutes will be fired, and if approved, exactly how many rounds. We certainly need to organize a military band to play music at the dock for the welcome..."

"Old Qin, do we have a military band in Binjiang?"

"I asked the Propaganda Department and also called the Federation of Literary and Art Circles. They said there are a few makeshift bands, but their performance level is not very high, the band members are older, and their image is not very good."

Vice Mayor Qin didn’t expect "Boss Lu" to take this so seriously and continued, pointing to the plan he was reviewing: "We have prepared two alternatives. One is to have children from Teacher’s College Elementary School perform at the dock; they have a drum band. The other is to hire a professional military band from outside, but that will cost money."

"Some money can be saved, but some simply cannot. The Binjiang Ship has been in service for 24 years and is returning home just once; it must be a grand occasion."

"Alright, then let’s hire from outside."

Following the draft welcome plan, the report was given item by item.

When reporting on the list of people welcoming along with the four main leadership groups, Mayor Wang looked at the welcome plan brought by Vice Mayor Qin and Commander Wang and asked, "Who is Shen Fengyue?"

"Mayor Wang, the city previously had a Yue Opera Troupe, and Shen Fengyue is an old generation Yue opera artist from our Binjiang Yue Opera Troupe; she is 86 years old this year."

Vice Mayor Qin paused and continued: "Before the liberation, General Tao Yong commanded operations in Binjiang for a long time. After the founding of New China, General Tao Yong served as Fleet Commander of the East Sea Fleet. Commander Tao has deep feelings for our Binjiang and has maintained a very good relationship with us.

While he was serving as Fleet Commander of the East Sea Fleet, our party, government, and military leaders in Binjiang often led Binjiang Peking Opera Troupe, Yue Opera Troupe, and acrobatic troupes and other art groups to the East Sea Fleet for visits, and Teacher Shen Fengyue had participated in the city’s literary delegation to the East Sea Fleet many times.

They performed in many places like fleet base auditoriums, warships, and hospitals, sometimes directly performing beside Navy officers and men as soon as they reached a visit point. Besides performing during the visits, they helped the warriors wash clothes, bedding, and clean. Every departure was always full of mutual reluctance."

Like Mayor Wang, Secretary Lu didn’t know these things either and curiously asked, "When did these happen?"

"The events took place in the fifties and sixties."

As soon as Vice Mayor Qin finished speaking, Commander Wang smiled and supplemented: "Commander Tao can speak in Binjiang Language and even chatted with them in Binjiang Language. One year, when the delegation went to Zhoushan for a visit, many comrades got seasick due to wind and waves. After the visit, Commander Tao decided that older members of the delegation would be flown from Zhoushan to East Sea Base."

Unexpectedly, there was such a piece of history between Binjiang and the East Sea Fleet.

Secretary Lu nodded and, looking at the list, asked, "Which unit is Zhang Yunchong from?"

"Zhang Yunchong is an active-duty serviceman."

Commander Wang smilingly reported, "When mentioning role models, the first thing that comes to mind is Salted Fish. In fact, besides Salted Fish, our Binjiang has another hero well known throughout the entire military, and that’s Zhang Yunchong."

"Well-known throughout the entire military? More famous than Salted Fish?"

"In terms of fame within the military, Zhang Yunchong is indeed more renowned than Salted Fish."

Commander Wang took a cigarette from Secretary Lu and lit it, taking several puffs as he said, "Zhang Yunchong is from Xiezuo Village in Haiyan Town, Changzhou City; born in 1957, he enlisted in December 1976 and entered military school in ’78, always serving in the South Sea Fleet.

At the beginning of 1990, it was already the third year since our military dispatched troops to guard the Nansha Islands. Zhang Yunchong, who was already a cadre at the time, proactively requested to guard Nansha and build a station to protect the reefs. The superior agreed and sent him to guard Zhu Bi Reef in the Nansha Islands.