Chapter Thirty: Didn’t Your Superior Tell You?

Page 1/3

A grave mistake!
This was no trivial matter.
A major error recorded in the archives during wartime was enough to warrant immediate execution by firing squad!
Everyone couldn’t help but feel a surge of curiosity about the serious mistake Liu Debao mentioned.
Ye Yuan slightly turned his head, glancing at the old, worn archive folder in Sun Ting’s hand, already guessing which incident Liu Debao was referring to.
“This…”
Sun Ting held the storage bag hesitantly.
On one hand, the folder contained classified documents, and as a mere host, she had no right to view it.
On the other hand, she feared that inside lay a grave mistake Ye Yuan could not explain away—if exposed, he would fall from revered war hero to public pariah.
“Oh, right.”
Liu Debao suddenly appeared to remember something, smiling, “The host shouldn’t have the right to view this folder, but the person who handed it to me already extracted the record of the major mistake separately.”
As he spoke, Liu Debao took out a yellowed sheet of paper from his briefcase.
Then, feigning solemnity, he looked at Ye Yuan, “Old Hero Ye, may we show this to the nationwide audience?”
Ye Yuan gave Liu Debao a long, steady look and nodded slightly. “Do as you wish.”
Liu Debao smiled with satisfaction, stepped in front of the camera, and placed the paper before the lens.
In an instant, all viewers in front of their TVs leaned closer, reading the bold characters.
The handwriting was grand and vigorous, only a few lines, but enough to prove Liu Debao’s claim.
[Upon investigation, Comrade Ye Hengzhi violated the “Regulations on the Treatment of Prisoners of War” by killing 113 prisoners of war, constituting a serious war crime and crime against humanity. Comrade Ye Hengzhi is hereby given a severe demerit and demoted in rank.]
To ensure everyone understood the document, Liu Debao read the text aloud in full.
Killing prisoners of war!
Everyone gasped.
Killing POWs was a violation of international war law.
Why would Ye Yuan do such a thing?
After saying all this, Liu Debao turned to Ye Yuan, “Old Hero Ye, no wonder you went into hiding after the war. I thought you were truly noble, but it seems you feared the reckoning.”

Page 2/3

Sun Ting looked at Ye Yuan anxiously, her palms sweating with tension.
This was far worse than she had imagined.
If unresolved, Ye Yuan would not only lose all honor but could be court-martialed!
Countless eyes fixed on Ye Yuan; the audience before their screens fell silent.
Everyone awaited Ye Yuan’s response.
“I did order the execution of 113 captured enemy soldiers.”
Ye Yuan spoke slowly, his voice steady as ever. “But those I killed were always those who deserved to die.”
“Whether they deserved death is not for you to decide, but for the nation!”
Liu Debao stood righteous, “The law punishes them, not you personally!”
“Sir, please hold your tongue.”
Sun Ting interrupted Liu Debao, “It’s time for Grandpa Ye to explain.”
“I led a team to raid an enemy company, paying a heavy price, and finally wiped out most of them. The remaining 113 raised white flags and surrendered, but after I captured them, they revolted in the dead of night.”
Ye Yuan’s eyes grew deep as if sinking into memories. “Several of my brothers were killed by them; one died protecting me under enemy fire. After I suppressed their uprising, they surrendered once more.”
“Tell me, should these enemies be spared? If they rebel again, what then? If sent to a POW camp, and they incite more riots, what would you do?”
Ye Yuan’s words struck like an anchor, stirring the silent supporters into renewed chatter online.
“Enemies are still human?”
“Old Hero Ye did right! POWs are those who genuinely surrender, not treacherous scoundrels merely biding time.”
“How many lives have these enemies taken in our Long Kingdom? Never mind the POWs, how many civilians have fallen under their blades? Grandpa Ye is justified!”
“This is indeed a major mistake, but not Grandpa Ye’s mistake—it belongs to whoever recorded it!”
“Grandpa Ye did the right thing. Why demote him and mark him with a severe demerit?”
After hearing Ye Yuan’s explanation, Liu Debao smiled, “Old Hero Ye, you can’t just speak for yourself, can you? If your word settled everything, what would be the point of these archives?”
“The documents clearly state it was a grave error and that you were demoted and given a demerit. Surely you can’t deny that killing POWs happened?”
“Nonsense!”
An angry shout rang out.
The studio doors burst open, and Sun Weiguo and Zhang Qun strode in.

Page 3/3

The one who spoke just now was none other than Zhang Qun.
He had just finished handling matters and rushed straight to Northeast Province.
Sun Weiguo had been waiting for Zhang Qun before coming to Hehe County together, which explained the delay.
Upon seeing Sun Weiguo, a look of joy appeared on Sun Ting’s face.
Zhang Qun’s fierce eyes shimmered with tears as he stared at the figure on stage.
That was the person he longed for day and night!
“Big Zhuzi.”
Ye Yuan’s tone was full of emotion as he recognized the earliest comrade who followed him.
Liu Debao, having served in the military himself, recognized Zhang Qun as a South Military Region commander.
His brow furrowed briefly, then relaxed swiftly.
With the advantage in hand, why be anxious?
Zhang Qun approached Ye Yuan’s side in large strides.
The cameraman immediately switched to close-up shots of Ye Yuan and Zhang Qun.
Zhang Qun stood motionless before Ye Yuan, lips trembling but unable to speak.
Sun Weiguo silently wiped away tears behind him.
“Let me handle some things first.”
Ye Yuan spoke slowly, patting Zhang Qun’s shoulder.
Then, he turned to Liu Debao, “Everything you said did indeed happen.”
“But didn’t your superiors tell you?”
“Three days after I was demoted and given a demerit, I was exonerated.”