On December 15, 1938, Shanghai Tang

Because the engagement banquet is approaching, Zhou Mingrui gave Tang Yi and Gu Junqiao a day off to prepare today, but there is nothing to prepare for the two.

All the matters Gu Hongliang has already arranged, and the place is set at the Grand Shanghai Hotel in the public concession.

Early in the morning, when Tang Yi drove to the Gu Mansion, the wedding master of ceremonies and the hotel manager were already waiting in the living room of the Gu Mansion.

Under the introduction of the old housekeeper, the two hurriedly saluted Tang Yi respectfully, and after Tang Yi returned the salute with a smile, the master of ceremonies introduced the engagement process endlessly.

Tang Yi was still listening carefully at first, but later found that most of the processes had nothing to do with him, so he waved his hand impatiently to stop the master of ceremonies from continuing, and asked, "Just explain to me what I need to do, and don't use the rest." ”

"Well, Young Master Tang, according to Master Gu's arrangement, you and Miss Gu only need to give the engagement ring to Miss Gu and put it on your ring finger before the wedding banquet begins."

"It's as simple as that?"

"The rest is the matter of Mrs. Tang, Master Tang, and Master Gu."

After hearing this, Tang Yi waved his hand and called a subordinate and asked, "Where is Jun Qiao?" ”

The subordinate replied respectfully: "The eldest lady will go back to the bedroom when she hears that her uncle is coming." ”

"Why?" Tang Yi was a little puzzled.

The master of ceremonies hurriedly stood up and replied, "You and Miss Gu can't meet for the time being before the official engagement, otherwise the rules will be broken." ”

"Well, by the way, when the time comes, the hotel will have an outside phone ready, and there will be more dignitaries present, so it is inevitable that you will have to keep in touch with the outside world." Tang Yi said and looked at the manager.

The manager hurriedly nodded and said respectfully: "Master Gu has ordered before, and there are six telephones in the outside telephone hall." ”

Tang Yi stood up and nodded to the manager, and then said to his subordinates: "You tell your eldest lady, since you can't see you, I'll go back first." ”

Seeing the nodding of his subordinates, Tang Yi said hello to the master of ceremonies and the manager, and then went out and left the Gu Mansion.

Bookstore at No. 34 Qingxiang Road

Tang Yi got out of the car and lit a cigarette, walked into the bookstore, and saw that there were two or three people scattered in the bookstore, so he had to find a corner casually, and took a copy of "Song Ci" and read it with relish.

When it was almost noon, the people in the bookstore were almost gone, and the old man quietly walked over and patted Tang Yi on the shoulder.

Tang Yi put down the book and looked at Lao Fang and said, "I'll take this book in a while, you have to give it to me." ”

"Haha, you are the son of a big capitalist in Shanghai, and you still have to take a poor teaching book from a poor bookstore for nothing, what kind of truth is this?" Lao Fang said with a smile.

"You don't care what the reason is, I'll give you Huaxing rolls or?" Tang Yi also began to make fun of Lao Fang.

Huaxing bonds were issued by the pseudo Huaxing Commercial Bank, which enjoyed the power to issue currency and issued "Huaxing Commercial Bank Bills" as circulating currency at the same price as legal tender, with the purpose of destroying China's finance.

The Huaxing bonds that have been issued can be exchanged for the central reserve bonds at a ratio of 100:240, but recently, because of the integration of the puppet government between the north and the south, Wang Zhaoming is about to join the Japanese in the same stream, and there will inevitably be new currency issuance at that time, so the recent depreciation of Huaxing bonds has been very serious.

As soon as the old man heard Hua Xingjiao, he immediately waved his hand and said in disgust: "You give me this thing, I don't think it's warm to burn the fire." ”

Then the old man said: "Let's go to the house to talk, I set up a charcoal fire in the house to keep it warm." ”

Hearing this, Tang Yi nodded and got up and went to the hut in the backyard with Lao Fang.

Tang Yi sat down next to the charcoal basin and stretched out his hand to roast it to keep warm, while the old man took out two sweet potatoes from the cabinet on the side, sat on the chair opposite Tang Yi, and put the sweet potatoes on the edge of the charcoal fire.

"I'll treat you to dinner at noon!" The old man looked very generous.

Tang Yi laughed and said; "I'll treat you to dinner! I can't get used to your sweet potatoes. ”

"Really? This is a sweet potato from the anti-Japanese base area, and it is not the same as the taste of the occupied area, and I don't have a few left here, and I really don't give it to ordinary people. The old man glanced at Tang Yi with an expression that you didn't know the goods.

"Hah! Then I'll try it. Tang Yi became interested and took the sweet potato from the charcoal basin to his side.

"By the way, how's the article being printed? Will it be shipped tomorrow? Tang Yi asked.

The old man turned over the sweet potato and said, "It's already on the way, and it is estimated that it will be there tomorrow morning." ”

"Okay, after transporting to the periphery, wait until noon and then go to the beach, and then just use my name to transport it inside, send a competent person, and have a tough attitude, whether it is the Japanese soldiers or the checkpoints, they will not let them check the goods, if they have any opinions, they will call the big Shanghai hotel directly." Tang Yi followed the example of the old recipe and turned over the sweet potato.

Lao Fang patted his head and pretended to be surprised and said, "Oh! As soon as you say it, I remember, tomorrow is your engagement party! I'll give you all the "Song Ci" as a congratulatory gift! ”

"Did you pick the door like that?" Tang Yi glanced at the old man.

The old party didn't say anything, blew and picked up the hot sweet potato, tore off a layer of sweet potato skin, looked at the red flesh inside and said, "Hey! I'm sweet! ”

"You should be cooked too."

Hearing what Lao Fang said, Tang Yi also picked up the piping hot sweet potato, and tore off a layer of sweet potato skin like Lao Fang, and the sweet smell suddenly came to his face, the flesh inside was too hot, Tang Yi only took a bite of some meat on the skin.

Savoring the sweetness of the mouth, Tang Yi felt as if he had seen the hard-working Chinese peasants, who had been cultivating the land for thousands of years, sowing seeds and bearing fruits, and cultivating generations of Chinese people with sweat and hard work.

Whether it is rain, snow or wind and frost, their backbones are straight, worthy of heaven and earth, worthy of their family and country.

"How can such fertile land, beautiful rivers and mountains let the Japanese spoil it......" Tang Yi muttered in a low voice.

Immediately afterwards, Tang Yi stood up, rubbed his slightly sour eyes, and said, "Old Fang, don't use books as gifts, you can give me some sweet potatoes......

Lao Fang sighed, "There are only a few sweet potatoes left, I will load them for you in a while, Tang Yi, I will ask more, do you have any ideas to join us." ”

Tang Yi shook his head and said, "Isn't it good now, our common ideals are the same, why do we have to divide camps." ”

"I believe that one day the Japanese will be driven out by us! What do you do then! The old man seemed a little reluctant.

"Let's talk about that day... I'm a rambling person! Tang Yi replied while eating sweet potatoes.

Seeing this, Lao Fang didn't ask anymore, he knew that if he asked Tang Yi again, it might cause Tang Yi's disgust, and that would really outweigh the losses.