Chapter 2 Out of the Plug (Part I)

Some time ago, the iron-blooded gang of traitors killed the killers and stirred up the rumors in various places under the rule of the puppet North China Provisional Government. Although Zhangjiakou is located in a remote area, it has also been greatly affected. Liu Min, the puppet police chief, was shot and killed by assassins in broad daylight, and a bomb was thrown into the home of security captain Chen Weining. Although the Japanese devils and puppet soldiers quickly joined forces to fight back, arrested the assassins, and tied up the execution ground and shot them in front of the people of the city. But there are rumors in the market that the people who were shot were just scapegoats used by the devils and puppet soldiers to perfunctory, and the real iron-blooded traitors had already fled before the devils took revenge, and they would shoot again at any time to give the devils and traitors a little color. (Note 1)

As for the real iron-blooded hoe gang heroes and their style, the folk also have noses and eyes. That is: young and handsome, courteous, generous, and ....... not humble or arrogant. And the current Zhang Songling happens to account for the characteristics of a hero!

Although the shopkeeper is greedy for money, he also knows that he can't make money by insulting his ancestors. Therefore, after guessing the true identity of the distinguished guest, not only did he not plan to go out to report to the pseudo public security bureau, but also quietly changed the meal prepared for the distinguished guest at noon from one meat and one vegetable to four whole meats. Don't ask for oil from the meal, just ask the guests to leave early after they have eaten and drunk, and don't let yourself and the chicken feather shop be implicated in any way.

Zhang Songling didn't expect that his true identity would be linked between the shopkeeper and the famous iron-blooded hoe gang. If he could think of this, he would definitely not be wandering around the streets of Zhangjiakou at this moment. This small place, located at the foot of the Outer Great Wall, has appeared in the mouths of his father and brother countless times, and each time, it is closely related to words such as prosperity and wealth. And now, the prosperity and wealth of the past have become a thing of the past, and the market is depressed as far as the eye can see. It's been three shots a day, but the shops on both sides of the road still have hanging door panels, and occasionally one or two are open, and there are no customers inside. Only the shopkeeper and the apprentices stood in the shop desertedly, sighing at each other.

"The way of the world, alas!"

"Alas, I'd rather be a peaceful dog than a troubled world!"

A sigh contains endless loss and desolation. As a cargo distribution center that has existed for nearly 400 years, Zhangjiakou was not like this. Every spring, the merchants of Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan and even Jiangsu and Zhejiang, driving horse-drawn carriages and carrying burdens, flock here like a tide, and then form a large team to transport the goods in demand from all over the Central Plains to the outside of the mouth. The large and small traders on the grassland outside the mouth transported the furs, medicinal materials, felts, tapestries and other items that are not easy to see in the Central Plains that have accumulated for a winter into Zhangjiakou. Here it is poured once or gathered into bulk commodities, which are sent to the provinces of the Central Plains.

Vendors flock to the store, and naturally want to stay in the store, sharpen, or even barter directly here. Therefore, the streets of Zhangjiakou are also lined with chicken feather shops, warehouses, carriage and horse shops, large hotels, casinos and brothels. When guests arrive here, they will take the initiative to divert according to their own strength and living habits. The rich boss went to live in a single room in a hotel for half an ocean a day, and the guy with no money went to sleep in a chicken feather shop for five copper yuan a day. The coolies, who were so poor that they only had muscles left in their bodies, went to squeeze into a copper dollar a day's shop. As for those who suddenly made a windfall because the goods were on the right road, or who had no heart or lungs to eat today and tomorrow, they walked into brothels and casinos with their purses in their pockets, and threw down the yellow and white things in their purses in exchange for a moment ......of leisure. From the long streets to the narrow alleys, everywhere is lively and lively, and everywhere is full of life.

But in recent years, business in all walks of life in Zhangjiakou has become increasingly sluggish. Especially since July 7 last year, when the little devils suddenly attacked Beiping City, the business of various shops can be described as plummeting. Most of the merchants who were supposed to go into the grassland together did not dare to go out again because of the war. The goods that were supposed to be shipped to various parts of the Central Plains were completely smashed into the hands of local merchants because of the war. Coupled with the tyranny of the little devils, the puppet army's eating cards, and nearly two-thirds of the city's business was announced to be yellow in just a few months. The remaining third is also barely maintained. Every day from morning to night, but it is difficult to earn back the wages of the guys.

On such a deserted street, Zhang Songling, who was wearing a clean robe and looked black and chubby, it was difficult not to be noticed. A few penguin-like men standing behind the container rushed out to meet him, shouting one by one, trying to take him to their own shop. And a few shops with closed doors and windows also poked out several unkempt heads very quickly, looking at him expectantly, hoping that he could become a guest who came to the door on his own initiative.

"I, I've found a place to live. Now, it's time to come out and hang out! Zhang Songling was a little embarrassed by the enthusiastic actions of the vendors, stopped and announced loudly.

"Welcome, welcome. My shop has the most complete things, you come and take a few looks, buy it or not, it's a favor! ”

"Come this way, come this way. We have cashmere blankets just brought from the prairie at home, which are perfect for a wealthy person like you! ”

"What kind of weather is it, you still sell cashmere blankets to the young master. Isn't it intentionally harming others?! Come to our house, we have sika deer whips in our house, which are guaranteed to be wild. As long as you soak half of the wine, no matter what kind of woman you are, you will make your eyes roll and your mouth ......."

"I have ...... on my side"

"On my side, my Heshenghe is a century-old brand, you can ask around the street casually, from my grandfather's grandfather's life, we Heshenghe has specialized in ......"

The man shouted and tugged, lest the guest pass in front of his house. Zhang Songling dodged, evaded, and longed to fly into the air with his wings. Later, he couldn't stand the enthusiasm of everyone, tore his throat, and shouted, "Stop, stop me." I don't want to buy anything today! If anyone dares to pull my clothes again, don't blame me for being rude to him! As he spoke, his hands increased a little strength. Suddenly, he pushed the guy who was blocking in front of him

"Hey, hey, hey......" The guy who was trying to forcibly drag the customer into his shop, didn't expect the customer to have such a big strength, and shouted back, but he couldn't stand up anymore, and sat on the road.

"Let go, let me go, otherwise I'm welcome!" Zhang Songling didn't do anything, he didn't stop, waved his arms, and pushed the people who surrounded him away one by one. "I don't want to buy anything today, I don't want to buy anything! I'm here to stand for my eldest brother, and he'll come with the caravan in a few days. Whoever has the nearest newspaper in his hand, please transfer me a copy. No matter what day it is, I'll pay the original price! ”

The soliciting guys were pushed to the point and did not dare to continue pestering. The shopkeepers, who were eagerly awaiting, quickly opened the drawers to see if they had the nearest newspaper at hand. "Exploration, caravan, ...... in a few days", just with these few words, everyone has to find ways to meet the requirements of your guests. In the whole spring of this year, there were not enough caravans from Zhangjiakou to get twenty. Any incoming gang of foot traders can be seen as a lifesaver by the shopkeepers.

Due to the slow development of the city, there is no local newspaper in Zhangjiakou City. Newspapers, however, are not a rarity in the city. After all, the traders from the north to the south need to know the latest developments in the current situation, and the local traders also need to guess from the newspapers when the war will end for the time being, and when the market will hope to return to its former prosperity.

Soon, the newspapers printed with the words Beiping and Tianjin were turned out by the shopkeepers and sent to Zhang Songling with a smile on their faces. If you don't sell it, you can take it away if you are interested, and give it away for free! Although they are all old newspapers from ten days or even a month ago, they are guaranteed to be well-known newspapers in North China, and they are not just a few street scoundrels who can make up nonsense!

"Thanks!" Zhang Songling thanked him while finding a few more famous newspapers and quickly flipped through them. On 17 May, Cao Kun, former president of the Beiyang government, died of illness in Tianjin. This political dignitary, who was once despised by the world because of the election bribery turmoil, refused to serve as the president of the puppet North China Provisional Government many times during his lifetime, drawing a clean end to his turbulent life.

On 19 May, the Japanese invaders captured Xuzhou.

On May 24, the Japanese invaders captured Lanfeng. General Gui Yongqing fled without a fight and gave a battalion of chariots to the little devils.

On May 27, General Huang Jie fled without a fight and surrendered Shangqiu. The reason was that the radio station was damaged and it was impossible to get in touch with the theater command.

On May 29, the Japanese invaded Kaifeng....

On June 3, the Japanese advance arrived at Zhongmu ......

It's all bad news, and nothing is exciting. Zhang Songling continued to flip through the newspaper with some anticipation, hoping to find a few words about the 26th Route Army. But this heroic army, which dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese invaders in Niangziguan and Taierzhuang, suddenly evaporated from the world like dew drops and disappeared without a trace.

"Could it be that Chief Sun, they ......" Zhang Songling suddenly had an ominous premonition in his heart, and he might never be able to return to the twenty-sixth road. After three vicious battles in Beiping, Niangziguan and Taierzhuang, the 26th Route Army must have been wounded. At this time, if there are politicians who use their brains in the establishment a little......

Just as he was thinking about it, there was a sudden shouting of horses in the street. Immediately after, the shopkeeper and his men gathered around him, like flies smelling fish, flew away with a "bang", leaving only him and a half-man-high pile of discarded newspapers.

On June 9, the Yellow River burst, flooding more than 40 counties, nearly 10 million people were affected, and more than 800,000 people died in the belly of the fish....

Note 1: The iron-blooded hoe gang, also known as the anti-Japanese hoe gang. It was a peripheral organization developed by the Kuomintang military command in North China. Its main members are young students, and they have successfully eliminated dozens of traitors of all sizes, such as Wang Zhulin, a member of the Tianjin Maintenance Association, Cheng Xigeng, president of the Pseudo-Cooperative Reserve Bank, and Wu Junao, the editorial director of Xinmin Daily. He also suffered huge losses because of the pursuit of Japanese spies.