Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 308 - 220 Different Funeral (Part 2)

Chapter 308: Chapter 220 Different Funeral (Part 2)

"This is what profound connection to the homeland is all about!"

Reporter Wang was deeply moved and sighed repeatedly with emotion.

Director Peng of the Water Police Station fell silent for a moment, then murmured, "The kind of family you come from shapes the kind of children you raise, no wonder Haoran turned out so well."

Political Commissioner Wang nodded in agreement and said with a sigh, "As the master is, so will the disciples be. Having a son like Haoran, and disciples like Ming Yuan and Salted Fish, Xu Sanye has lived a life without regrets."

Seeing that Director Feng was lost in thought, Scholar Yu looked up and said, "Today’s funeral was arranged by Ming Yuan and Salted Fish."

"It’s well organized. If Xu Sanye’s spirit is up there, he must be very happy," Director Feng took a deep breath and then added, "Xiang Ning is also not bad, been running around and busy for several days. Xu Sanye did not dote on her, his disciple and daughter-in-law, in vain."

After playing Xu Sanye’s recorded last words to his son and daughter-in-law, the music he loved in life began to play.

From "The Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention" to "Fifteenth Moon", followed by the new songs "The Great Wall", "One, Two, Three, Four Song" and "When I Grow Up, I Will Be Like You"...

Deputy Division Commander He couldn’t help but chuckle as he listened.

The other classmates were stunned at first, but soon they too showed smiles.

"Captain He, what are you all laughing about?" Director Feng curiously asked.

"Every time we had a sports meeting at school, the students he recommended from his area ran faster and jumped further than us military students. And when it came to cultural activities, they sang better than us military students."

"As for individual military skills, he was no less capable than us."

Another classmate took up the conversation, recalling, "One year he went near our troop’s location to catch a criminal. He missed the catch and came to visit me at the base. Our troops were organizing a shooting practice. Watching for a while, he got itchy fingers, borrowed a rifle, and shot more accurately than us, which was quite embarrassing for us."

At Linghai, Commissioner Ding knew Xu Sanye best.

Commissioner Ding couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Although he never joined the army, he was an old civilian soldier, has been playing with guns since he was a child, and must have shot not a thousand but at least eight hundred bullets. His marksmanship was honed with real bullets."

Deputy Division Commander He knew very well that if Xu Sanye’s spirit was there, he would not want to see everyone in tears and thus led the way in recalling Xu Sanye’s amusing stories from his youth.

One story led to another, laughter mixed with tears.

Unnoticed, the fleet arrived at the mouth of the sea.

It was the mouth of the sea, but still a long distance from the actual ocean.

Considering that Vessel 002 couldn’t withstand big winds and waves, Han Yu picked up the walkie-talkie and notified all the drivers, including Old Han, to act as planned in this area of water.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, family and friends, please take note, the fleet has reached its destination, and the funeral will begin in two minutes."

Deputy Division Commander He and Director Feng, among others, could no longer continue their "reminiscing meeting" and spontaneously walked out of the cabin to stand by the railing to observe Vessel 001 ahead and Vessel 002, which had just turned around and was making an effort to maintain a stationary state on the water.

"002 is at the rear and 001 in front. What is Salted Fish planning?"

"Director Yang, you’ll find out soon."

While they were talking, Zhu Baogen put on a firefighting suit and, like operating an anti-aircraft machine gun, opened the high-pressure water cannon.

A long stream of water shot up into the sky, reaching more than fifty meters before descending in a parabola, "painting" a huge water gate on the surging river surface that flowed towards the sea.

Commissioner Ding looked at Customs Vessel 008 directly across and Salted Fish’s cargo ship that had just turned around, then looked to the west at Vessel 002 and pondered, "I get it. Salted Fish wants Sanye to pass through the water gate."

Director Feng, having retired as Deputy Division Commander of the Navy and having served as a ship captain, watched the distant "water gate" and remarked, "Passing through a water gate is the highest naval and marine ceremony. It’s used to welcome new planes or ships."

Chief Tang also looked at Vessel 008 opposite and Salted Fish’s cargo ship, saying, "Our position and the one on the opposite ship are perfect to observe the ceremony."

Director Feng, being the one with the highest administrative rank and oldest tenure, saw Sister Wei and Xu Haoran and his wife making final preparations on the aft deck of Vessel 002, rearranging their uniforms while reminding, "Folks, it’s our turn now, let’s send off Comrade Xu Sanye."

"Director Feng, you will give the command later."

"Okay."

What took everyone by surprise was Salted Fish’s command voice suddenly cutting through the chilly wind.

"Minister Lei, Chief of Staff Liu, prepare to fire."

"Yes!"

"Target ahead water gate, elevation angle one three zero zero!"

Director Feng took a pair of binoculars from a crew member of Vessel 39, raised it to adjust the focus, and to his amazement, saw Minister Lei, Chief of Staff Liu and Staff Huang operating a mortar on the aft deck of Vessel 001.

Staff Huang turned the direction mechanism of the mortar so that the vertical line of the aiming scope lined up with the target, then he rotated the elevation wheel of the scope to set the scale while also operating the elevation mechanism to adjust the angle of the muzzle.

Chief of Staff Liu received the shell, with his right palm up supporting the body of the shell, moved close to the muzzle, his left hand pressing the edge of the barrel, thumb and fingers supporting the shell to prevent it from slipping into the barrel, the fin part entered the barrel, ready, waiting for Minister Lei’s command.

Minister Lei raised his right hand, shouted, "Ready... Fire!"

With a muffled sound, the shell that had just fallen into the barrel was shot out, but it didn’t explode, and nothing happened on the water surface; instead, it traced a beautiful curve in the air, emitted a dazzling bright light over the "water gate", and slowly fell down.

"Illumination shell!"

"Why fire an illumination shell during the day?"

"Yeah, it’s not like there’s no sun."

As everyone discussed, a miraculous scene unfolded.

The "Water Dragon," after reaching the peak of its parabolic descent, scattered wide, like a heavy rain, and under the dual effects of the sun and the illumination shell, along with the huge "water gate," a beautiful rainbow was drawn!

Li Weiguo murmured as he gazed at the rainbow, "Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, who dances in the sky with colorful ribbon."

Scholar Yu was stunned, then pondered, "A silver dragon against the sky, the proud sun giving rise to a rainbow!"

Sister Wei saw it clearly and tremblingly said, "Sanye, can you see it? There’s a rainbow."

"Dad, the sea is just ahead; this is as far as we can go."

Xu Haoran turned his head and wiped the tears on his shoulder, then carefully untied the red cloth, opened the urn, and scattered a handful of ashes into the river.

One handful, two handfuls, three handfuls...

As soon as they touched the water, they disappeared, leaving only the surging river flowing eastward to be seen.

At Minister Lei’s command, one flare after another shot into the sky, then fell slowly, raining down a multitude of rainbow colors.

Director Feng was deeply moved, and hastily ordered, "All personnel, salute!"

As everyone in uniform raised their arms to salute or stood at attention, Han Yu walked to the bow of Boat 001, taking from Xiao Yu the Mosin-Nagant Rifle that had been confiscated years ago, and skillfully loaded and chambered a round.

"Master, I fire this gun to see you off!"

"Xiao Yu, are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Ready...fire!"

Crack!

The crisp sound of the gunshot echoed through the endless river expanse.

Han Yu tilted his head toward the water gate and commanded again, "Ready...fire!"

The booming of guns and artillery was incessant.

In movies and TV shows, they honor martyrs with a three-volley salute, but Han Yu didn’t care about that.

All the flares from the Yanjiang Police Station armory, along with 7.62mm rounds confiscated years before, were on Boat 001. They would shoot as many as they had until none were left!

Discharging firearms and cannons is no trifling matter.

Director Yang, Commissioner Ding, and Director Peng of the Water Police Station all felt goosebumps upon hearing the shots.

Political Commissioner Wang hadn’t expected Salted Fish to cause such a commotion. He felt happy and moved but also a bit embarrassed, thinking that he would have to explain things to Director Yang on Salted Fish’s behalf afterward.

Director Feng slowly lowered his arm, the corners of his mouth revealing a faint smile.

Scholar Yu murmured, "Brother, how is it? Do you like it? Salted Fish didn’t let you down, did he?"

Zhang Junyan, with tears streaming down his face, shouted, "Director Xu, Salted Fish fires guns and cannons to bid you farewell. Have a good journey!"

The bullets were all fired.

The flares were all used up.

All the boats, including Boat 001, sounded their horns simultaneously.

Following that, Boat 001 began to play a loud military song over the speakers while revving up its engines to head upstream against the current, leading the convoy back home.

Luo Wenjiang, who had previously doubted Han Yu’s qualifications to be the squad leader due to his youth, now fully understood just how formidable the squad leader was.

Especially the way he tossed the gun to Liang Xiaoyu after firing all the rounds, he looked really cool!

Deputy Division Commander He and several old classmates took out two bottles of Moutai that they had brought especially for the occasion. They unscrewed the lids, poured a little into the river, and then took a drink.

While pouring and drinking, they spoke to Xu Sanye as he entered the vast ocean along with the raging river.

Director Feng didn’t want to interrupt them, so he and people like Chief Tang retreated to the cabin, where they were filled with deep emotions.

"To have such a funeral is truly worthwhile!"

"It’s a blessing."

"Xu Sanye has passed, and Salted Fish has grown up."

"It’s not just Salted Fish; Haoran, Xu Mingyuan, and Xiao Yu have all truly grown up."

In reality, Han Yu wasn’t as strong as he appeared on the surface. After he handed the gun to Xiao Yu, he went into the engine room, closed the door, and hid by himself, shedding tears.

Though his parents were alive, he felt like an orphan without a father or mother.

Minister Lei, who had watched him and Xiao Yu grow up, was a bit worried. He knocked on the door, shouting, "Salted Fish, Salted Fish, open the door."

"Coming."

"What’s this about? Your master’s wishes have been fulfilled; you should be happy for him!"

"Minister Lei, my master is gone; I’ll never see him again..." Han Yu couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into tears hugging Minister Lei.

Minister Lei, understanding his feelings, patted his back gently, "The more you feel sorrow and grief, the stronger you must be. If your master’s wife saw this, she would be even sadder, and if she’s sad, your master’s spirit in heaven would definitely feel the same."

"Okay."

"Listen, stop crying. Your master was a man of steel. He cared so much for you and had great expectations; therefore, you must be strong and become a man of steel as well!"

"Okay."

"Captain Wang’s health isn’t good, and the waters around here are rough. Go to the pilothouse quickly. You’re the commander, and you’re responsible for the safety of all these boats and people."

Han Yu realized that now was not the time to cry. He quickly wiped away his tears, climbed out of the engine room, and ran up to the pilothouse.

...

PS: Xu Sanye’s story comes to an end, and Salted Fish’s story officially begins.

This segment may have caused distress for everyone; my sincerest apologies. I kindly ask for continued support from all readers.